Work expected to be complete by March 2020
[caption id="attachment_210591" align="aligncenter" width="565"]
A portion of the blacktopped NH 29 near Kukidolong.[/caption]
Eastern Mirror Desk
Dimapur, Oct. 4: The long-awaited dream of a four-lane National Highway connecting Dimapur and Kohima is not far from becoming reality. Since Oct. 3, the blacktopping of NH 29, under the four-lane project, has begun.
The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) has been assigned for this project. The work between Patkai Bridge to Piphema will be taken care of by the M/s ECI Engineering and Construction Company Ltd.
According to a senior engineer from ECI, Panchananpatra, blacktopping of 500 metres along two-lane of NH 29 near Kukidolong is completed. Another 700 metre in the area will be layered with Dense Bituminous Macadam (DBM) by Oct. 5, he said. The thickness of BDM is 100 mm.
The general manager of NHIDCL in Dimapur, Arun Kumar Gupta, informed
Eastern Mirror that the blacktopping or laying of DBM started on Wed., Oct. 3.
“An average laying of DBM is 350w in 2-lane width subject to availability of resources and favourable weather conditions,” Gupta stated. He added that another layer of Bitumen course would be paved over the DBM later.
According to NHIDCL, the stipulated time for the completion of the road is September 2019. However, considering the amount of works, the expected time of completion will be March 2020.
“We need one more working season. Because this includes not only roads, we have so many other things like slope protection works, where everything comes under the contract. Keeping together all these things, the completion time is expecting it to be in March,” manager (projects) of NHIDCL, Rishinandan said.
For NHIDCL, he said, the project starts from Patkai Bridge and ends at Jotsoma bypass point – covering a total of 45 km out of 74. The remaining portion will be taken up by the state’s PWD, he said.
Rishinandan pointed out some of the broad challenges including, “poor soil conditions, unstable strata, sliding zones, sinking zones, high intensity rainfall in the region, absence of alternative route for diversion of traffic.”
Asked about the standard of retaining wall, he assured that there is “no compromise in quality of retaining walls.” However, he admitted that at few locations, “breast walls have developed cracks due to combination of factors including natural forces like heavy water pressure (due to rain and seepage) and earth pressure.”
In August last, untoward incidents have been reported, bringing the 4-lane project to halt. The state government has intervened even as various organisations have raised concern. The project coordinator of ECI, PL Rao said that despite all these problems “we are getting through” and added there are no disturbances now.
Another construction company, M/s Gayatri Project Ltd., was awarded contract for a 15-km stretch ending at Jotsoma by-pass point.
