Nagaland’s towns are growing, but they are not necessarily becoming more livable. Across the state, urban centres are increasingly marked by congestion, narrow roads, limited open spaces and dense housing patterns shaped by years of unplanned development.
The problem is often discussed in terms of traffic and road infrastructure, but the challenge goes deeper. It is also about how people live. In many hill towns, residential areas have developed with houses built extremely close to one another, often with little or no space between buildings. In some neighbourhoods, the wall of one house almost becomes the wall of another. Conversations, household activities and daily disturbances easily cross boundaries because physical separation between homes is minimal.
The difficult topography of Nagaland’s hill towns is certainly a factor. Unlike flat terrain, expansion in the hills involves challenges related to slopes, land stability and accessibility. However, geography alone cannot explain the present situation. The absence of long-term urban planning has allowed settlements to become increasingly compressed, affecting privacy, ventilation, greenery and the overall living environment.
This is particularly concerning because many residents are already homeowners. Yet ownership does not always translate into a comfortable living space when houses are packed tightly together without adequate space, drainage, roads or community infrastructure.
At the same time, housing affordability remains a major challenge. Rising property prices in and around urban centres have made it increasingly difficult for ordinary families to acquire larger plots within existing town limits. The solution cannot simply be further densification of already crowded areas.
Nagaland must therefore begin planning outward growth. In the case of Mokokchung, for instance, the urban area will need to gradually extend beyond its present boundaries into adjoining regions. This, however, requires cooperation from neighbouring villages and landowners. Urban expansion cannot succeed if surrounding areas remain inaccessible due to rigid land arrangements or uncertainty over future development.
Equally important is the need to bring expanding settlements under proper urban jurisdiction. Roads, drainage systems, waste management, electricity supply and other essential services must be planned before development becomes chaotic. Allowing settlements to grow informally outside town boundaries will only create larger problems in the future.
A town’s carrying capacity is not measured only by the number of buildings it can accommodate, but by how well people can live within it. Planned expansion of Nagaland’s towns can ease pressure on existing areas while creating opportunities for stronger infrastructure, economic activity and healthier communities.
Nagaland’s urban future depends on making space for people, not merely space for more buildings. The state must move beyond the idea that town development means filling every available patch of land. Expanding thoughtfully, with cooperation between communities, landowners and urban authorities, is essential to creating towns that are not only larger, but also more functional, sustainable and worthy of the people who call them home.
