The Naga Students’ Federation (NSF) has expressed grave concern over what it termed the “abysmal” quality of workmanship, prolonged delays, poor maintenance and gross negligence in the execution and upkeep of National Highway projects by the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) across Nagaland, particularly the Dimapur-Kohima four-lane highway.
The Federation said commuters have witnessed the continuous deterioration of the vital highway over the past four to five years, with inadequate maintenance and little evidence of effective monsoon preparedness. It singled out the Medziphema-Peducha stretch of NH-29, citing damaged road surfaces, inadequate drainage, deteriorating side structures, poor slope protection and delayed restoration works.
According to the NSF, the condition of the stretch has posed serious risks to commuters, particularly during the monsoon and night-time travel. It alleged that several people have lost their lives and others sustained serious injuries in rockfalls and road-related incidents, which it attributed to alleged failures in safety measures, slope stabilisation, maintenance and timely remedial action by NHIDCL and its contractors.
In a statement, NSF president, Mteisuding and general secretary, Kenilo Kent, said the Medziphema-Peducha stretch, remains one of the most vital section of National Highway-29 (NH-29) connecting Dimapur and Kohima, and cannot be allowed to remain a continuing threat to the lives and safety of commuters.
The Federation also questioned the issuance of a Completion Certificate for Package-II of the Dimapur-Kohima project despite several works allegedly remaining incomplete. It asked how the project could have been certified as complete while significant components were pending and serious deficiencies continued to exist, and called for an immediate inquiry by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH).
The NSF further pointed out that although the project is covered by a five-year Defect Liability Period (DLP), defects such as collapsing side walls, inadequate drainage, poor slope protection, damaged road surfaces and deficiencies in road-safety infrastructure allegedly remain unaddressed at various locations.
It also criticised the lack of preventive monsoon preparedness, including drainage maintenance, slope stabilisation, erosion control, retaining structures and emergency-response mechanisms, saying a highway of such strategic importance cannot be managed through a reactive approach after damage has occurred.
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Referring to its August 19, 2026 press statement, the Federation said it had previously raised concerns over inadequate safety barriers, poor road furniture, insufficient reflective markers, warning signages and other ancillary works. Similar concerns over workmanship and delays, it added, have emerged in several other NHIDCL projects, including the Kohima Bypass, Kohima-Mao Road, Dimapur Bypass, slope protection works along NH-29, Akash Bridge-Jessami Road (NH-202), and Peren-Dimapur Section (NH-129A) Packages II and III.
The NSF urged MoRTH to institute a comprehensive inquiry into the Dimapur-Kohima highway and examine the circumstances surrounding the Package-II Completion Certificate. It also called for immediate rectification of defects under the DLP and fixing of responsibility on officials, consultants and contractors wherever negligence or substandard work is established.
The Federation further demanded appropriate contractual and disciplinary action against contractors responsible for defective or incomplete works.
In what it described as a larger public-interest and road-safety measure, the NSF strongly urged the Government of India to terminate NHIDCL as the implementing agency for the Dimapur-Kohima stretch and entrust the project to the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) or the State PWD (National Highways), as deemed appropriate.
Describing the Dimapur-Kohima highway as a critical lifeline for Nagaland and neighbouring states, the Federation said public safety and public interest must not be compromised by institutional considerations. It called for decisive and time-bound measures to ensure a safe, durable and properly maintained highway.
The NSF said it would continue to monitor NHIDCL projects across the State and warned that if alleged negligence and poor workmanship continued, it would be compelled to initiate “appropriate democratic measures and necessary course of action” in the larger interest of the Naga people.
