The Northeast region in India has historically been plagued by neglect, deprivation, and marginalization, prompting the Indian State to focus on rewriting its political narratives. One such effort is the Look East Policy, which aims at mainstreaming the economic potential of the region by highlighting its geopolitical significance in South-East Asia and beyond. Since the beginning of the Modi government, development, and welfare projects, including connectivity infrastructure, have gained momentum post-2014. To strengthen inter-state connectivity, the Centre has established a special agency, NHIDCL (National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd.), to oversee such execution of works. This paper aims to explore the implications of NHIDCL’s appearance on the modalities of regional governments and their relations with civil societies. The study will examine the expectations and social aspirations of the Centre’s presence in the local context and how people are negotiating and experimenting with this presence. The paper will also analyse how the Centre’s presence is encapsulated in the visual interaction of everyday life(which is also slowly changing) among locals. Finally, the challenges and limitations of NHIDCL in the region will be explored.
The paper is a part of the author’s ongoing PhD work. The abstract hence, is an outcome of the author’s fieldwork that took place between January-March, 2023. The study is aimed at understanding the nature of politics (if there is any) in the development of road infrastructure in Nagaland. It basically analyses “roads” as a site of politics, a space where different state and non-state actors interplay. This problematization is crucial in essence, to further understand the social relations and the mechanisms through which tribal communities navigate and access their political rights or economic opportunities in areas that are still deprived of good road connectivity.
