Thursday, July 3, 2025
HomeNortheastManipur proposes two alternative routes after landslide in Phesama

Manipur proposes two alternative routes after landslide in Phesama

CorrespondentIMPHAL, JUL 2

To ensure that essential supplies to Manipur via Dimapur are not affected due to massive landslide at Phesama in Nagaland cutting off Imphal-Dimapur section of NH-2 , authorities have planned two alternatives routes, officials said on Wednesday.
The Imphal-Dimapur section of the NH-2 remains cut off at Phesama for around one month due to a landslide which occurred between June 1 and June 4, in which a 50-meter stretch of the highway was damaged, rendering it impassable.
A temporary diversion road has been constructed, but is only suitable for light vehicles.
This prolonged inaccessibility for heavy loaded trucks has severely hit the transportation of essential goods to Imphal for around one month which led to hike of the prices of almost all the essential commodities imported from outside the state.
Manipur public works department (PWD), in a statement on Wednesday, said that the authorities are planning two alternate routes capable of withstanding traffic of all vehicles upto three-axle load (25 MT). The plan routes under consideration are Dimapur – Jharnapani – Jalukie – Peren – Maram – Imphal (293 km) and Dimapur – Kohima – Chakabama – Jessami – Ukhrul – Imphal (372 km).
The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) is in the process of restoring the location (Km 192) of Kohima-Mao Road subject to land availability by Kohima district administration. To ensure uninterrupted movement along this vital route, traffic diversions for light and medium vehicles have already been made.
Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) were rerouted via Dimapur – Kohima – Phesama – Kisama – Jakhama – Mao – Maram – Imphal, covering approximately 193 km, it said.
Vehicles up to two-axle loads were diverted via Dimapur – Kohima – Chakabama – Kidima – Mao – Maram – Imphal, spanning 207 km.
Road widening and Granular Sub-base (GSB) laying are in progress, while Wet Mix Macadam (WMM) and Semi Dense Bituminous Concrete (SDBC) surfacing will resume once weather conditions improve.
This stretch is open for all traffic including goods and passenger vehicles and has been used daily without any hindrances within the road stretches of Manipur.
Expressing appreciation to the Nagaland government for its swift cooperation on traffic diversions, the principal secretary (works) of Manipur government has engaged with the commissioner/secretary (works) of Nagaland government to propose alternative heavy vehicle routes to maintain essential supplies to Manipur from Dimapur.
Two alternate routes suitable for heavy vehicles up to three-axle load (25 MT) have been identified as Dimapur – Jharnapani – Jalukie – Peren – Maram – Imphal covering a distance of 293 km and Dimapur – Kohima – Chakabama – Jessami – Ukhrul – Imphal covering a total length of 372 km.
Notably, around two weeks ago, various drivers’ bodies in Manipur had expressed strong dissatisfaction over the alleged silence on the part of the government of Manipur, particularly the state Governor and chief secretary, despite the highway remaining cut off for nearly a month.
Manipur is currently under President’s Rule with the Governor as the head of the state administration.
Manipur Drivers’ Association (MDA) had alleged that despite the long disturbance in the shipping of essential commodities into the state, none of the higher authorities of the state government said a word while drawing the attention of the state Governor and the chief secretary to collaborate with Nagaland government in expediting the road repairing works.