Kohima: In a bold escalation of protest against delayed infrastructure work, the Chakhesang Students’ Union (CSU) on Monday launched an indefinite blockade along National Highway-29 in Phek district of Nagaland, detaining 13 vehicles belonging to the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) and its contractors over the span of two days.
Among the seized vehicles was one belonging to the Nagaland state government, signaling growing public frustration over the condition of the critical Kohima-Jessami road.
The protest, which exempts essential services such as police, medical, administrative, and emergency vehicles, targets all government-registered vehicles associated with NHIDCL and its contractors.
The CSU, the apex student body representing Phek district, is demanding immediate action to address the prolonged delay in constructing the 29-km stretch of the highway (Package-II), a vital corridor linking state capital Kohima to the interior districts of Phek, Meluri, and Kiphire.
CSU President Pfhulo Sara confirmed that four vehicles were seized on Tuesday and nine on Monday, including one from the state government.
The student body cited the “severe inconvenience” caused to commuters due to the dilapidated condition of the highway, which has become nearly impassable in some sections. Volunteers stationed along the route have been actively intercepting and detaining vehicles linked to the roadwork contractors in a coordinated push for accountability.
A meeting between CSU leaders and representatives of the construction firms was held on Monday but concluded without a breakthrough. CSU rejected what it described as mere verbal assurances from the contractors and instead demanded immediate on-ground deployment of machinery and manpower.
Beyond resuming halted construction, the student union is pressing for urgent repair of existing potholes, clearance of landslide debris, and improvements to the drainage system along the route.
The Kohima-Jessami road, CSU emphasized, remains a vital lifeline for residents of Kikruma village and the broader region. With public patience wearing thin, the CSU has vowed to continue its protest until visible progress is made on the long-overdue project.