National Highways 39 passing through Bokajan leads to vehicular accidents due to pathetic condition

Vehicular accidents and breakdowns lead to frequent traffic snarls in East Karbi Anglong

A CORRESPONDENT

BOKAJAN: The busy NH-39 passing through Bokajan via Nambor Reserve Forest, and a 40-km stretch of NH-36 which connects Nagaland and Manipur via Dokmoka and Manja in Karbi Anglong district are in a pathetic condition. It is the principal road link to Nagaland and Manipur. This stretch is part of the Asian Highway 1 (AH1) which acts as India’s gateway to other South East Asian countries via Myanmar. A 65-km stretch of this road running between Nambor Reserve Forest and Lahorijan along the Assam-Nagaland border is full of trenches and potholes with some of them stretching up to one foot, besides being deep. The poor condition of this road poses serious threat to life and property.

Same is the condition of a 40-km stretch of NH-36 which connects Nagaland and Manipur via Dokmoka and Manja in Karbi Anglong district. The stretch running between Manja and Purna Lahorijan along the interstate border is no exception. The condition of this stretch has also deteriorated beyond repair. Constant traffic and poor repair work have eroded the metal layer of these roads. The exposed mud surface absorbs rainwater and trucks carrying essential commodities either get stuck in the loose sludge or sometime turn turtle creating congestion in vehicular traffic along the highway. Other mishaps are also commonplace along this stretch of the highway.

The poor condition of this road is also burning a hole in the pockets of the people. Vehicle owners are the worst affected as maintenance cost of vehicles plying on this highway runs high. Hordes of wrecked trucks stranded along this stretch are a regular sight. Traffic snarls are also frequent here as overturned trucks restrict the movement of vehicles, disrupting regular traffic along the highway on a regular basis.

“Situations turn worse at times of rains as ditches get filled with rainwater making it difficult for drivers to gauge the depth and this leads to frequent breakdown of vehicles. Commuters have to wade through this stretch. Accidents are also a commonplace as the risk of vehicles toppling on these ditches always runs high,” a local resident said on conditions of anonymity.

Over the years, the poor condition of these roads has failed to draw the attention of the department concerned as no repair work has been taken up in the past one decade. Irked by the department’s apathy, the Bokajan Truck Owners’ Association voluntarily filled up a section of these barraged pond-like ditches with sand rubble close to the Assam-Nagaland border. However, this too failed to gain any desired results as the ditches resurfaced within a short spell of rain and constant vehicular traffic along the highway.

Also read: National Highway-39 connecting Assam, Nagaland and other ASEAN nations in deplorable condition