Complete PMGSY-III works within set deadline — Contractors’
Complete PMGSY-III works within set deadline — Contractors’ Union to R&B department
The Nagaland Contractors’ & Suppliers’ Union (NCSU) has demanded the department of Road and Bridges to immediately fulfil its claim of completing the PMGSY-III works within the set period of 18 months
DIMAPUR — The Nagaland Contractors’ &
Suppliers’ Union (NCSU) has demanded the department of Road and Bridges to
immediately fulfil its claim of completing the PMGSY-III works within the set
period of 18 months and also install Full Depth Reclamation (FDR) machines in
all the 40 projects as assured against the union’s earlier objections.
The NCSU also appealed to the department to follow the full
norms of NIT.
In a press release, the union informed that it had earlier
objected to the implementation of PMGSY-III projects through the FDR method
while also demanding “one contractor, one work” for execution of the 40 project
works in the state.
“We even highlighted the difficulty of the state in using
reclamation machines as specified in the NIT for PMGSY-III due to topography
while also submitting representation to the chief minister of Nagaland, with
copies attached to the minister concerned, chief secretary and the department
on 21st July 2023,” the union said.
However, the department of Roads & Bridges claimed that
it was possible to bring the 25-40 tonne reclamation machine to implement the
PMGSY-III projects, it stated.
The department also clubbed the 40 projects into 16 clusters
and issued the work order on March 21, 2024, despite the NCSU’s request for
“one contractor, one work” allocation, it added.
Accepting the assurance of the department of Roads and
Bridges that the specifications of the work order would be adhered to
sincerely, the NCSU said that it had waited for the success of the projects.
However, after almost a year of the issue of work orders,
the NCSU, during its emergency general meeting held on February 26, 2025—which
was well attended by executives of its head office, advisors, action committee
members and also the district unit officials—decided to inspect the work
progress of the 40 PMGSY-III projects carried out through the 16 clusters with
FDR methodology.
Accordingly, the NCSU had directed its head office
executives and district units to carry out the inspections and submit the
report by March 13, 2025.
“As per reports of the physical verification of the
projects, it was found that despite the work order being issued on 21st March
2024, many of the works commenced only in December 2024 and January 2025.
“Moreover, the claims of the department of Road and Bridges
that it was possible to bring the reclamation machine for execution of the
projects were apparently eyewash, as there was no such machine at the project
sites, except one in Rusoma village, Kohima district, but sadly it was unable
to function because of the terrain,” the union alleged.
Further, the NCSU maintained that due to the late
commencement of the works, which were supposed to be completed within 18 months
of the date of issue of the work order, their completion “is likely to be
delayed as there are barely six months left.”
“In this, the NCSU asserts that we are not against any of
the contractors executing the work but only want the successful implementation
of the projects for the benefit of the villagers, the actual beneficiaries of
PMGSY-III,” the union affirmed.
“We remain firm in our demand and declare not to remain a
mute spectator if the department does not fulfil the laid criteria of NIT for
the 40 PMGSY-III projects in the state of Nagaland,” it asserted.
