As Manipur continues to reel from ethnic tensions, the NH-2 collapse cuts off the primary access to Imphal airport for the Kuki-Zo community, deepening logistical and humanitarian challenges.
BY PC Bureau
A critical section of National Highway 2 (NH-2)—the main route connecting Nagaland’s capital Kohima to Mao Gate in Manipur—has collapsed due to days of relentless rainfall, severing the only dependable surface link between the two states. The road subsidence occurred below the Naga Heritage Village in Kisama, a stretch long known for its vulnerability during monsoons.
The incident has cut off Manipur’s Kangpokpi district and other Kuki-Zo dominated hill regions from essential supply lines and access to Dimapur airport, a critical transit hub ever since the ethnic clashes erupted in Manipur on May 3, 2023. Since the outbreak of violence, Imphal airport has been effectively inaccessible to many hill residents, who have relied instead on NH-2 for safe passage to Dimapur.
“This road has been our only lifeline. With Imphal unsafe, we depended on NH-2 to evacuate the sick, travel for education, or access flights from Dimapur,” said a Kuki-Zo resident of Kangpokpi on phone. “This collapse has trapped us once again.”
There was a massive landslide at Phesama, Nagaland. A portion of the NH2 Imphal-Dimapur road sank and has sunk further today. The national highway is now completely cut off. pic.twitter.com/SSFkZ3a8Bc
— 𝙾𝚄𝚁𝙾 𝙺𝙴𝙽𝙾𝙱𝙸🎋 (@OuroKenobi) June 2, 2025
Traffic Halted, Vehicles Stuck
The sinking stretch, part of a known geohazard zone just before the Kisama exit road, has trapped several heavy vehicles bound for Manipur. Three trucks heavily loaded with supplies got stuck while attempting to pass, further blocking the road. The area continues to sink.”
Emergency teams are currently unloading the trucks to extract them from the site, but full clearance is expected to take at least 2–3 days, according to estimates from the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL). During this period, heavy vehicle movement has been restricted.
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Alternative Routes and Warnings
An official advisory issued by Kohima Deputy Commissioner Henok Buchem detailed alternate routes:
- Light Motor Vehicles (LMVs) bound for Kohima may take the Demori Cove or JCC–Kisama–Phesama routes (one-way only).
- Manipur-bound LMVs may use the BSF Camp–Chakhabama–Kidima–Viswema/Mao Gate route.
- All heavy vehicles from Manipur will be halted at Khuzama, while those from Dimapur will stop at Sechü Zubza.
The administration warned the public to avoid contact with fallen electric poles and conductors in the vicinity of the road collapse.
🚨 NH-2 Collapse Near Phesama | Kohim – Manipur highway closed indefinitely after road section collapses.
Heavy vehicles halted at Khuzama & Sechü- Zubza.Read more: https://t.co/LlF2kLK5w2
#Nagaland #Manipur #NH2 #TravelAdvisory pic.twitter.com/PkjfEsaf2y
— VIRTHLI (@VIRTHLI) June 2, 2025
The collapse has had immediate repercussions. Educational institutions like St Joseph’s College in Jakhama, which draws students from across Manipur and Nagaland, face disruptions to scheduled exams. On weekdays, over 50 buses and private vehicles typically travel this route for school and college commutes.
Local villagers have stepped in to help stranded travelers. The Merama Youth Organisation (MYO) issued public safety guidelines to prevent congestion and urged people to avoid the Kisama exit.
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The road collapse comes at a fragile time for Manipur, where ethnic tensions have fractured communities and disrupted internal mobility. NH-2 has served as the only viable corridor for the Kuki-Zo people to access relief, supplies, education, and medical help—linking towns like Kangpokpi, Senapati, and Churachandpur to Nagaland and beyond.
This is not the first time NH-2 has caved in. In 2018, a major landslide in the same zone disrupted transport for weeks. Despite repeated warnings, the road remains prone to annual sinking during monsoon season. The last major repair was completed just before the 2024 Hornbill Festival.
The cave-in of NH-2 is more than a logistical problem—it amplifies the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Manipur’s hills. For now, Kuki-Zo communities remain physically and psychologically cut off, with their last remaining lifeline buried under mud and stone.
