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DIMAPUR — Days after the government of Nagaland allocated an amount of INR 148.5 crore for the Foothill Road in its budget for the fiscal 2024-2025, the Nagaland Foothill Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC) has said that it will convene a meeting with the concerned department shortly to work out the modalities on allocation of works to the contractors.
The NFHRCC had a marathon meeting in Dimapur on Saturday to deliberate ways to push the stalled road project forward and also adopted four resolutions.
Responding to queries posed by journalists after the meeting, NFHRCC convenor Supu Jamir said they had laid out plans when asked if the committee would want the work to be executed through the usual open tender process or by selecting the few contractors.
“We have experienced both the table tender and the open tender. In 2014, we made an agreement with the Nagaland Contractors and Suppliers Union (NCSU) because during the first phase, we opted for the table tender and there was some hue and cry from the NCSU.
“So we made an agreement with them and we are very grateful that the NCSU has used its wisdom in that the Foothill Road construction being extra ordinary project; whatever be the situation, the NCSU will not disturb the committee in the construction of the foothill road. Whatever be the situation, we want to discuss with the department concerned,” he said.
When asked if the money sanctioned by the government would be sufficient if the project is implemented in Peren sector as well, Jamir hints at uncertainty.
“We have leaders from the Zeliang and Kuki communities so we just can’t leave them. We will ask the government whether it can give any addition or may ask the department to adjust somewhere because the Foothill Road is not from Tizit to Dimapur but from Tizit to Khelma. So, we have to see the whole parameter,” he said.
‘Jeepable road’ almost done
On the current status of the Foothill Road, the NFHRCC convenor updated that as far as jeepable road is concerned, almost the whole stretch has been connected.
“But with regard to Mangkolemba division, somewhere in Yajang jurisdiction of about 20 km stretch, we are facing some ‘natural challenges’, but the contractor has assured us that by end of this month, the execution will be completed,” he said
He also maintained that there is no pending compensation or land issues as far as the Foothill Road is concerned.
“All the land owners are co-operating since day one as we have started this construction after getting the no objection certificates from the land owners,” he said.
‘It’s a one-time package’
Assistant General Secretary of NFHRCC, Chenithung Humtsoe, updated that the state government had released some fund for restoration of Doyang project in 2021-22 but they are encountering some ‘natural challenges’, especially in Baghty division during the monsoon season because it is not an all-weather but fair-weather road.
The general secretary of the committee, W Lemba Chang, added, “This Foothill Road is not like the PWD road where we get annual maintenance. It is a one-time package; so whatever amount is pumped by the state government is in the line of one-time package, and therefore, annual maintenance is out of question.”
“We are trying our best and we are searching for the missing link connectivity, fulfilling the criteria for the mega project. So it is a fair-weather road,” he added.
Jamir further reiterated the committee’s stance not to succumb to any kind of illegal taxation. “There has been no illegal deduction, be it from the department or government,” he maintained while affirming that if any individual, group or department resort to taxation, the committee would bring it to the public domain.
The NFHRCC
Resolutions adopted by NFHRCC
• The committee has asked the EE, Dimapur Division, to take corrective measures in connection with the river course that was temporarily diverted during the construction of the Doyang bridge but was not corrected after the project was completed, saying that it endangering the mid pier of the bridge.
• The NFHRCC resolved to write to one contractor in the Tuli Division, who is yet to execute work despite the issuing of work order, to start executing the work within one week.
• Another contractor, who had failed to complete the work in Mangkolemba Division during the stipulated time -- December 2023 – had been directed to complete the pending work. The contractor, who also attended the meeting on Saturday, assured to complete it by March-end.
• The committee appealed to the state government to allocate additional fund for the Peren sector of the Nagaland Foothill Road as well as seriously consider allocating fund for the construction of a connecting road from Rengmapani to the Foothill Road.