Kohima police have issued detailed traffic, parking, shuttle and security protocols for the upcoming 26th Hornbill Festival, scheduled to be held from December 1-10 at the Naga Heritage Village, Kisama.
During a media briefing at the Mini Conference Hall, PHQ here on Saturday, additional director general of police (ADGP) Renchamo P. Kikon stated that traffic management has significantly improved over the years, noting that last year’s 25th edition witnessed “seamless regulation” with minimal complaints.
He informed that necessary security arrangements have been put in place and that a three-tier security system would be deployed.
ADGP announced that armed personnel would not be permitted inside the main arena of the festival, continuing the practice implemented in earlier editions.
According to him, exceptions would be made only for VVIPs accompanied by Z-plus protective teams, and even then, their security personnel would be allowed to carry only small, concealed weapons.
Kikon stated that there would be no visible arms inside the festival arena except for Tourist Police and District Police on duty. He added that this directive had been reiterated by the chief minister, who had communicated the requirement to all security forces operating across the state.
Additional SP (Traffic), Puzoto Khatso, also presented a detailed traffic management plan for Hornbill Festival 2025.
He informed that all vehicles entering Kisama would be parked in designated zones according to the car pass category:
Car pass categories and access points:
- Z (VVIPs): Main Arena/WW-II Museum
- X (Heads of Departments): Parking Lot near Gate-2
- Y (Others): Parking Lot near Gate-2
- Organiser: Amphitheatre
- Artist: Amphitheatre
- Vendor/service providers: Entry via Japfu Christian College (JCC) till stalls; exit through Imagiland to NH
- PWDs: Parking Lot near Gate-2
Key traffic and parking guidelines
- Vehicle entry inside the venue will be allowed only for valid car pass holders from Gate-1; parking will be near Gate-2.
- Vendor car pass holders will not be allowed entry from Gate-1. They must enter via JCC, proceed inside the arena through Legislators’ Park road, and exit via Imagiland. Vendor entry timings: before 9am and after 6pm.
- Entry to the main arena through the second gate will be allowed only for Z-category car pass holders, whose vehicles will be parked near the main arena/WW-II Museum.
- Entry for organiser and artist car pass holders will be allowed through Gate-1, with parking at the Amphitheatre via Imagiland junction.
- Vehicles with X, Y and PWD car passes will be parked at Kisama Parking Area near Gate-2.
- Vehicles parked near Gate-2 will exit via Imagiland for Southern/Manipur-bound routes and via Rhododendron Resort/NH for Kohima-bound routes.
- Additional parking for LMVs will be available at Phesama ground.
- An alternate route for vehicles coming from Dimapur/Chümoukedima to Kisama will be: Old KMC check gate-Jotsoma-Nagaland College of Music and Fine Arts-Forest Colony-BSNL Exchange-PHQ Point-Phesama-Kisama.
- Vehicle owners have been advised to paste their contact numbers on windshields.
- Vehicles parked on the NH within the Right of Way between Phesama old check gate and Kisama will be towed without warning under Section 127 of the MV Act. Any damage during towing will be borne by the vehicle owners. Towing charges will be Rs. 1500, and an additional penalty of Rs. 500 will be imposed under Section 201 of the MV Act.
- Individuals or departments intending to operate drones at the venue must obtain prior permission from Police Headquarters. Offenders will be prosecuted as per law.
- 35 free shuttle buses will operate between parking zones and the Kisama venue.
- 10 NST shuttle buses—five from PHQ Point and five from ISBT—will operate on a paid basis. Fares: Rs 50 from PHQ Point and Rs 80 from ISBT.
- Army escort trucks and vehicles will not be allowed entry from Gate-1 and must park at Kigwema ground.
- No armed personnel will be allowed inside the main arena.
- Heavy vehicles will not be allowed to enter Kohima from 7am to 10pm, from December 1-10. Heavy vehicles coming from Manipur towards Kohima will be diverted via Kidima – Chakhabama – BSF/Keyake – NBCC/High Court Meriema – 10 Mile – Peducha.
Parking and shuttle service at Kigwema ground
- Vehicles without car passes must park at Kigwema public ground on payment basis.
- Free shuttle services will operate between Kigwema ground and Kisama.
- Shuttle services will enter through Gate-1 and drop passengers near Gate-2.
- Return shuttles will exit via Imagiland towards NH/Kigwema.
Night Carnival traffic plan
- The road stretch from Y-Junction Phoolbari to Razhü Point will remain closed to all vehicular traffic from 4pm to 9pm, from December 1-10.
- All LMVs will be diverted from Y-Junction to Razhü Point via the new route adjacent to Khuochiezie (Local Ground).
- Heavy public utility vehicles moving towards High School area will be diverted from TCP Gate.
- There will be no entry from New Market road to New NST.
- Southern-bound city buses will terminate at Phoolbari point, while northern-bound buses will terminate at Razhü Point.
Kohima police have urged the public to adhere to the traffic and security guidelines to ensure smooth conduct of the festival.