A high-level meeting was convened and chaired by CM Rio, alongside Dy CM and Minister-in-charge of National Highways, and all concerned officials and agencies, on September 4, 2024. The meeting assessed the situation following landslides and damages on NH-29 and discussed restoration and relief measures, resulting in the following decisions:
1. NHIDCL has been instructed to make NH-29 operational within 24 hours to ensure the uninterrupted supply of essential commodities such as POL and food items.
2. Alternative routes for heavy vehicles transporting essential goods, as well as for light vehicles, will be explored.
3. The following routes were discussed to bypass the Pagala Pahar area:
. 7th Mile NH 29 Sukhovi-Mhainamtsi-Jharnapani (for both light and heavy vehicles)
. Showuba-Nuiland-Zhadima-NH 2 (light vehicles only)
. New Chumoukedima to Old Chumoukedima (Old Check Gate) (light vehicles only)
4. The concerned department, PWD (R&B), will maintain all the aforementioned alternative routes, as well as the route from Peducha to Tsiesema road (for both light and heavy vehicles), ensuring smooth and uninterrupted connectivity between Dimapur and Kohima.
5. NSDMA was directed to immediately release ex-gratia payments to the families of the deceased and injured through the respective DDMAs.
6. NHIDCL was instructed to implement rectification measures, including deploying the latest technology, to prevent such incidents in the future. This is crucial, as the highway between Dimapur and Kohima serves as a lifeline for both Nagaland and Manipur throughout the year.