Deputy Chief Minister TR Zeliang said no compensation will be paid for illegal structures on the National Highway 02 stretch between Wokha and Doyang River.
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KOHIMA — Deputy Chief Minister and Minister in-charge of National Highways, TR Zeliang, on Tuesday said the government will not pay compensation to individuals who have constructed buildings on a nallah along the hillside between Wokha and Doyang River on NH-02, and warned that the structures will be demolished if not removed voluntarily.
Replying to a starred question raised by MLA Tongpang Ozukum during the eighth session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Zeliang said around two kilometres of the stretch has become a bottleneck due to huts constructed illegally along the roadside.
He said the owners have been asked to remove the huts themselves, failing which “Government will demolish those,” adding that no compensation will be paid as the constructions are illegal.
Providing an update on the NH-02 project, Zeliang said the latest status of road construction from Km 101–105 (Doyang–Izheto) shows 42.47 per cent physical progress and 41.38 per cent financial progress. He stated that the total length of the project is 24 km, with a design length of 19.315 km, and that contractor K Sharma from Tinsukia was appointed on June 18, 2024, with a completion period of 24 months.
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He reiterated that about 1.5 km of the stretch remains affected due to unresolved land compensation issues and said the department is pursuing the matter with the district administration to remove the hindrance and allow work to proceed as per contract.
Zeliang maintained that the contractor cannot be blamed for the delay and expressed hope that the administration, with support from local stakeholders, would resolve the issues so the project can move ahead.
Meanwhile, MLA Tongpang Ozukum highlighted the difficulties faced by commuters on the Doyang–Izheto road, particularly during the monsoon and dry seasons, and urged the department to instruct the contractor to at least complete one lane or the Granular Sub-Base before the onset of the monsoon.