Development in Nagaland faces many challenges and one of which is inflated cost over runs which have led to many projects being grounded or eventually abandoned. The uncompleted projects are many and the factors are also similar. The causes for developmental roadblock are inherent in a state that has earned a dubious reputation for cost escalations have doubled or tripled over the original estimate. This raises the question as to -whether those who prepared the project were incompetent or the government officials and its implementing agency hand-in-glove in siphoning? An example of abnormal cost escalation has been the SARDP taken up in four districts- Mon, Mokokchung, Longleng, Phek and Zunheboto. The 329km-project was sanctioned sometime in 2010 has seen the cost escalation shoot up from Rs. 1,296 crore to Rs 2,988 crore. The road project has been re-tendered and hopefully will see completion. The recent case pertains to the construction of the bridge over Doyang river under Wokha district as part of the foothill road project that seeks to link Tizit and Tuli, the two prospective and future rail heads with Dimapur. Lotha Hoho had taken up the issue of non-completion of the bridge and later, ACAUT Nagaland had also followed up. The latest was the demand by All Commercial Vehicles Association (ACVA) of Wokha. The organizations had pointed out that a whopping Rs.18.49 crore was spent for the bridge; which was 75% of the total estimated cost of the project. The unfortunate part is that the bridge has remained incomplete with hardly 25% to 30% of work done. That means 75% money of the project was spent for only 25% to 39% work done. As per the statement of ACVA which purportedly quoted the chief engineer of the department, the construction work for the bridge has been abandoned. That means there will be no resumption of construction work on the bridge. In another case also, construction work on a 35-kilometer road project never took place but money to the tune or Rs.3.09 crore out of the total of Rs.4.90 crore was already released in 2007 and the matter came to light only in 2008. The negative forces against development come in various shapes and colours and these continue to degrade the vision and aspirations of the people. The evolution of corruption in Nagaland has left the system totally shattered as not even courts have taken up such cases through suo moto. Perhaps it is because of the involvement of many powerful sections including crooked but influential businessmen who oil pockets during elections. This is not peculiar with the state as these exist in any other state. Will Durant had written- “The last stage of matter (democracy) is gangmen rule. Criminals flourish happily in cities because they are guaranteed full protection and cooperation of the law.” The cooperative environment of symbiotic relationship between all shades of offenders has created a landscape of fear. The environment is best exemplified by a word called asociality- a moral abyss afflicting contemporary society that leads ordinary people to believe that there is a price tag for everything as those in power have purchased the mandate to serve personal, family or community needs above all. A true religion teaches accountability and when the religious leaders have no inclination for it, it disappears from the moral lexicon and that is why corruption has become a byword in the state.