Gauhati High Court demands faster repairs as slow progress and widespread potholes plague the troubled Dimapur-Kohima highway stretch
DIMAPUR — The Kohima Bench of Gauhati High Court has pulled up the agencies responsible for the Dimapur-Kohima road over the slow pace of work on the Lerie Welcome Gate–Jotsoma Bypass stretch, where construction was only 54.18% complete as of September 1.
The Bench noted that physical progress had been recorded at 0% in some weeks. The amicus curiae also told the court that potholes were spread across the stretch, making travel difficult.
The observations were made in an order passed on September 9 in a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL) concerning the Dimapur-Kohima road.
The court had on August 27 expressed displeasure over the progress on the bypass stretch and directed the chief engineer of PWD (National Highway), along with the contractor, to appear before it.
The latest progress report showed little improvement, with cumulative physical progress inching up from 53.89% on August 27 to 54.18% on September 1.
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“We are constrained to express our displeasure with regard to the construction progress,” the Bench of Justice Manish Choudhury and Justice Yarenjungla Longkumer observed.
The court was told that the contractor’s performance had been found unsatisfactory. Chief Engineer Neilabeizo said he had sought to improve the pace of work after taking charge on July 14, but found the contractor’s efforts “not up to the mark”.
A show-cause notice has since been issued to the contractor, seeking an explanation as to why penalties and other measures should not be imposed. His response was still awaited.
The condition of the road also came under scrutiny. The amicus curiae told the court that potholes existed throughout the stretch and that members of the public had themselves filled some of them to make the road motorable.
The contractor has undertaken to fill all potholes along the stretch by September 30.
The court directed the chief engineer to inspect the road and submit a report on the potholes, along with an updated construction progress report, before the next hearing on October 7.
Packages I, II face separate setbacks
The Bench also reviewed the progress of Packages I, II and III of the Dimapur-Kohima road.
Under Package-I, covering about 14.935 km, around 4 km has been identified as having persistent motorability problems. NHIDCL said that permanent rectification through pavement reconstruction would be taken up under a Performance Based Maintenance Contract (PBMC).
A five-year PBMC contract was signed on August 31, with mobilisation now under way. The court impleaded M/s Trinity Group as a party to the PIL and directed NHIDCL to provide the contractor with a month-wise progress chart.
Package-II continues to face difficulties, with NHIDCL informing the court that the EPC contractor had remained unresponsive despite repeated notices.
An estimate for carrying out maintenance at the contractor’s risk and cost was forwarded to the competent authority on September 1. If approved, the work will be taken up through a tendering process.
The court expressed hope that the tender process would be expedited and completed preferably within September.
Package-III remained at 90% physical progress, unchanged from the figure reported on August 27. According to NHIDCL, the remaining work involved miscellaneous and rectification works and was expected to be completed by the end of September.
Slope protection DPR still pending
The Bench also took note of the delay in finalising the detailed project report (DPR) for slope protection measures along the existing Dimapur-Kohima road.
NHIDCL had earlier committed to finalising the DPR by June 30, forwarding it for approval in July and placing the proposal before the Ministry in August, followed by land acquisition and tendering.
The court was informed that the DPR had not been finalised after the Peer Review Expert proposed additional measures following a site inspection in May. The DPR consultant was yet to incorporate and finalise the proposals.
The Bench directed the stakeholders to expedite the process, observing that September to March is the most suitable period for carrying out construction works in Nagaland.
NHIDCL has also been directed to submit, in its next affidavit, an update on the DPR, land acquisition and tendering process.
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