The Confederation of Nagaland Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CNCCI) has once again raised the alarm over the deplorable condition of National Highway 29, the state’s lifeline that connects Nagaland’s political and economic capital to the rest of Nagaland and Manipur. Terming it “one of the most unreliable and hazardous roads in the region,” CNCCI said the situation has now reached a point where the highway has been mockingly christened the “December Highway.”
In a strongly worded statement, CNCCI Chairman, Dr. Khekugha Muru and General Secretary, Avi Chase said commercial vehicles now ply NH-29 “as if deploying tanks and military equipment in a war zone,” while commuters are forced to risk their lives daily, akin to “soldiers heading into battle.”
The economic losses resulting from damaged vehicles, shipment delays, and spoiled perishable goods run into hundreds of crores, while the suffering of commuters, particularly in emergency medical cases, “is beyond measure,” it noted.
The CNCCI lamented that this deteriorating condition has, unfortunately, become an annual ritual. “Much like the celebrated Hornbill Festival—where the Hon’ble Chief Minister, along with ministers and bureaucrats, leads inspection drives during the monsoon as though it were a grand event covered extensively by the media, ensuring that roads are pliable by December for the much-awaited Hornbill Festival and Christmas shopping—the highway’s pliability is treated as a seasonal obligation. For the remainder of the year, it is neglected as if locked away until the next round of inspections,” it stated.
This neglect, CNCCI added, has earned NH-29 its sarcastic nickname, the “December Highway.”
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Rejecting the oft-repeated argument of unstable terrain, CNCCI pointed out that states like Mizoram, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, and Meghalaya, despite sharing similar topography, have successfully built and maintained roads that remain functional throughout the year. “The state government may attempt to shift blame onto NHIDCL, but the real issue lies in the government’s failure to provide proper oversight year round and to implement long-term planning,” the statement asserted.
Calling for urgent intervention, CNCCI stressed that the NH-29 crisis must be addressed with “the seriousness it demands.” It demanded that the highway be upgraded into an all-season, four-lane road to ensure the safety, dignity, and economic prosperity of the people of Nagaland. “Their lives, livelihoods, and future deserve far better than a road that functions only when festivals arrive,” CNCCI said.
The apex trade body urged the state government, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), NHIDCL, and all stakeholders to take “immediate, sustained action to resolve this long-standing crisis once and for all.”
