Our Correspondent
Mokokchung, November 19
Minister for NH, Mechanical & Election, Nuklutoshi on Thursday said that the foothill road will be renamed as Nagaland Express Highway which will connect the districts Headquarters along with different states.
He announced this during the Nagaland GBs Federation general session here at Town Hall, Mokokchung. The minister said that eight highways in Nagaland have been declared as National Highways so far.
He also asserted that newly declared Nagaland Express Highway, where earth, tunnels and bridges are needed, will be constructed with new technology that will be economically efficient. He however lamented that the biggest problem is the land acquisition.
The minister informed that the government of India had sanctioned 17,000 crore for the road construction in Nagaland with 10,000 crore rupees to be spent within the next years. He said the central government’s sanction does not cover land acquisition and the state government cannot compensate for acquisition and therefore suggested that the landowners should donate land.
“Give me land and I will give you good roads as never seen in Nagaland,” the Minister said. He also added that demanding roads without donating land is not logical.
Nuklutoshi also urged the GBs to go back to their villages and educate the landowners to donate lands so that the dream of having good roads and highways in Nagaland can become a reality. “If you give me the land acquisition clearance then I will complete 80 percent of the roads within two and half years,” the minister said.
