Contractors commit to Kohima-Mao highway repairs by March
The Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, has taken note of the commitments made by contractors to complete the short-term maintenance work on two stretches of the Kohima-Mao highway by February 25 and March 31
- DIMAPUR — The
Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, has taken note of the commitments made by
contractors to complete the short-term maintenance work on two stretches of the
Kohima-Mao highway by February 25 and March 31, respectively.
- During a hearing of the suo moto public interest litigation
(PIL) on Wednesday, the counsel for the National Highways and Infrastructure
Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) submitted an affidavit detailing the
undertakings given by the contractors responsible for the project.
- According to the affidavit, the contractor for stretch 1,
covering Lerie Gate to Kigwema Village (Km 185.540 to Km 194+000), has pledged
to complete the work by February 25. Similarly, the contractor for stretch 2, extending
from Kigwema Village to Mao Gate (Km 194+000 to Km 212+334), has committed to
finishing by March 31.
- The bench, comprising Justice Lanusungkum Jamir and Justice
Kakheto Sema, also noted that NHIDCL had floated a Notice Inviting Tender (NIT)
on January 20 for blacktopping work, including Dense Bituminous Macadam (DBM)
and Bituminous Concrete (BC), as a short-term measure before the monsoon
season.
- It must be noted that the contract between the NHIDCL and
the original EPC contractor was terminated with effect from Sep. 18, 2024, as
per the court’s October 2023 order. Consequently, the two short-term
maintenance contracts were awarded.
- Accordingly, the court directed the impleadment of M/s
Vechupa Rose and Company and M/s Z Rulho, the new contractors responsible for
the respective stretches, as additional respondents in the case.
- The next hearing is scheduled for March 5.
