Guwahati, Sept. 15 -- An adage says it's the journey, not the destination, that counts. If so, the journey on the Dimapur-Kohima National Highway 29, about 74 km long, is disillusioning. Over a decade ago, driving up to Kohima from Dimapur was a singular pleasure, though over time its deterioration could be seen and felt.

This road was built during World War II, connecting Nagaland and Manipur to Burma (now Myanmar). This entire area was a major theater of the war; the Battle of Kohima and the Battle of Imphal took place here. If you are a history buff, you'll recall that the Battle of Kohima (together with the intertwined Battle of Imphal) was a turning point in the Japanese U-Go offensive into India in 1944 during the Second World War....