The Pfutsero Commercial Vehicle Owners and Drivers Union (PCVODU) has extended its “full support for the Chakhesang Students’ Union (CSU)” and condemned the deteriorating condition of the 2-lane road (Package 2) between Chakhabama and Kikruma, describing it as “dangerous and nearly unmotorable.”
In a statement, the Union blamed the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) and the executing contractor, M/s Ratna Infrastructure Projects Pvt. Ltd., for “severe hardship to our members and the general commuting public.”
“The failure of the implementing agency… under the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract mode, has caused severe hardship,” the Union stated, citing inaction and “substandard execution of the road project.”
Highlighting the daily toll on its members, the PCVODU said, “The deplorable road conditions have led to exponential increases in vehicle maintenance and repair costs due to potholes, poor drainage, and rough surfaces that cause extensive damage to suspensions, tires, and undercarriage systems.”
It added that the poor road conditions “threaten the financial viability of commercial transport operations,” with drivers and owners forced to invest heavily in repairs, leading to shrinking profit margins.
Operational impacts have also been significant. “Drivers are unable to complete routine trips efficiently, resulting in lost income opportunities and fuel inefficiency,” it said, further warning that the “risk to human life has also increased, with accidents becoming more frequent due to the unsafe road conditions.”
The Union pointed out that the road situation has even affected access to insurance: “Many drivers [are] facing increasing difficulties in securing affordable coverage,” due to higher accident rates and risk profiles.
Delays in the delivery of goods, dissatisfied clients, and harm to the “reputation of transport service providers” were also among the cascading consequences cited. “Lower incomes translate to reduced membership dues, limiting the Union’s ability to support members in need or advocate effectively for their rights,” the PCVODU added.
Recalling the legal framework, the Union reminded all stakeholders that “under the National Highways Act, 1956, the maintenance of national highways is the responsibility of the central government or the authorized agency—in this case, NHIDCL.” It emphasized that the EPC contractor is also “bound to maintain specified quality standards and timelines; failure of which warrants legal and contractual penalties.”
The PCVODU has now demanded that “NHIDCL Kohima Regional Office take urgent and corrective action to ensure immediate rehabilitation and completion of the Chakhabama-Kikruma road package as per contractual obligations and in compliance with road safety and engineering standards.”
“If NHIDCL fails to act decisively,” the Union warned, it “will hold the agency and the contractor solely responsible for any further damage to vehicles, loss of life, or inconvenience caused to the commuting public.”
Declaring solidarity with the wider public, the statement concluded: “The PCVODU stands united with all stakeholders demanding accountability, safety, and dignity for the transport community and the people who depend on this critical road infrastructure.”