Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma on Tuesday chaired a high-level review meeting with officials of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), flagging serious concerns over the condition of highways across the state and calling for immediate corrective measures. The meeting, held at the Chief Minister’s Conference Hall, was attended by PWD Minister Vanlalhlana, senior officials from the Public Works Department, the Power and Electricity Department, and representatives of NHIDCL.
During the discussion, the Chief Minister underlined that several stretches of national highways in Mizoram were in poor shape, with potholes, cracks, and surface damage visible even on newly completed roads. He reminded NHIDCL that proper maintenance must be ensured during the Contractor Liability Period, stressing that negligence in upkeep was unacceptable given the state’s dependence on reliable road connectivity.
Lalduhoma also emphasized that whenever new bypasses are constructed, the existing town roads should not be abandoned but instead formally handed over to the State PWD for regular upkeep. Referring to the Aizawl–Vairengte highway as the “lifeline of Mizoram,” he urged NHIDCL to give it top priority in repair and strengthening works, as the highway is a critical link for the movement of goods and people within and outside the state.
The Chief Minister raised concerns about road durability in Mizoram’s challenging terrain, where prolonged monsoon seasons and heavy rainfall often weaken road surfaces and trigger landslides. To address this recurring problem, he suggested the adoption of rigid pavement technology. NHIDCL officials informed the meeting that the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has already directed engineers to examine the feasibility of the proposal, to which the Chief Minister pressed for speedy action and on-ground implementation.
Another major issue highlighted was the recent collapse of the Thingfala Mamte ‘T’ Baptist Church, which local residents have linked to road-cutting works carried out by NHIDCL. Officials explained that the Deputy Commissioner’s Office had already conducted an assessment of the damage and submitted the findings to the Project Management Unit, which will now forward the matter to NHIDCL’s headquarters for further examination and necessary action.
Responding to these concerns, NHIDCL’s Regional Executive Director Pu Adelbert Susngi assured the state leadership that all matters raised by the Chief Minister would be addressed promptly. He also briefed the meeting about the various challenges NHIDCL teams were facing at ongoing project sites, including difficult terrain, weather disruptions, and delays in material supply.
