Rio seeks flyovers, airport, IIT, AIIMS and financial support while presenting Nagaland's development agenda at NEC
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KOHIMA — Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on Thursday proposed the construction of 14 flyovers and elevated corridors at critical traffic nodes in Dimapur, Kohima and Chümoukedima to address growing traffic congestion in Nagaland’s largest urban centres.
Addressing the 73rd plenary session of North Eastern Council (NEC) in Shillong, Rio sought the support of NEC and Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) for the proposed projects.
The session was attended by Union Home Minister and NEC Chairman Amit Shah, Union Minister for Communications and DoNER and NEC Vice-Chairman Jyotiraditya M Scindia, and Minister of State for DoNER Sukanta Majumdar.
Representing Nagaland, Rio outlined the state’s priorities, fiscal concerns and a series of infrastructure and development projects for which support from government of India, NEC and DoNER ministry was sought.
Alongside the proposed flyovers, the chief minister raised concerns over the state’s finances following the discontinuation of Revenue Deficit Grants (RDG) under the recommendations of the 16th Finance Commission.
Related: North Eastern Council plenary session begins in Shillong; Amit Shah chairs key meeting
He said that Nagaland had received more than INR 21,000 crore in RDG during the 15th Finance Commission, which had enabled the state to meet expenditure requirements and deliver essential public services.
According to Rio, the discontinuation of the grants has created a significant fiscal gap. He said that Nagaland faces an estimated revenue gap of INR 4,500 crore during the 2026-27 financial year.
While acknowledging support provided through Part X – Pride of Hills under SASCI, which has allocated INR 3,880 crore for 2026-27, Rio stated that the assistance was loan-based and conditional in nature. He urged the Finance ministry to consider annual special grants throughout the award period of the 16th Finance Commission and sought support to bridge the current year’s shortfall.
Rio also sought support for the early development of the 364-km Foothill Road, also known as the Trans-Nagaland Highway, which he described as having the potential to become the state’s principal economic corridor.
He noted that the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had indicated that declaration and development of the road as a National Highway would require a minimum 30-metre encumbrance-free Right of Way.
According to the chief minister, the state government has secured no-objection certificates for 12 metres of Right of Way free of cost. However, compensation would be required for the remaining 18 metres sought by landowners.
He requested support from the Centre for land and damage compensation and sought declaration of the Foothill Road as a National Highway.
On air connectivity, Rio said that Kohima remains the only state capital in the country without an airport and reiterated the state’s long-standing pursuit of an airport at Ciethu.
He stated that the Airports Authority of India had found the proposed airport at Ciethu to be technically feasible, but that the project had not progressed due to concerns regarding financial viability.
As an interim measure, he proposed the development of short landing strips at Mokokchung, Mon, Tuensang and Ciethu. According to him, the facilities could be serviced by smaller aircraft and improve connectivity across the state, with the possibility of Ciethu being expanded into a full-fledged airport in the future.
Rio also sought extension of the Dimapur-Zubza railway line to Kohima and onward to Imphal, besides early approval of the Dimapur-Tizit railway project.
The chief minister further renewed Nagaland’s demand for an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), stating that land had been identified in the proposed Nagaki City for the project after an earlier proposal for an Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) announced in the 2015-16 Union Budget did not materialise.
He also sought support for establishment of a Greenfield All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Nagaland and financial assistance for strengthening the Nagaland Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Kohima.
Rio proposed development of Nagaki City in Chümoukedima district as a Greenfield incubation city and sought a special package for creation of basic infrastructure.
Highlighting the state’s waterways potential, he said that National Waterway-101 on the Tizu-Zungki river system had already been declared, while proposals relating to the Shilloi, Noune and Doyang waterways were under consideration.
He also sought support for improving connectivity to agriculture, allied and plantation areas, and for promoting coffee and agarwood cultivation.
Rio thanked the DoNER ministry for supporting the Cluster-Based Coffee Value Chain Development Programme and said the state aims to expand coffee cultivation from 12,000 hectares to 50,000 hectares by 2047 under the brand ‘Taste of Eminence.’
He further requested assistance for strengthening power transmission systems, implementing hydroelectric projects, expanding sports infrastructure and supporting youth development programmes.
On oil and natural gas exploration, Rio said the state was pursuing early resumption of exploration and production activities and that a state-specific policy was being evolved in consultation with the central government.
He also said Nagaland and Assam had held discussions regarding exploration and production activities in the Disputed Area Belt along the inter-state boundary and had made progress in the matter.
Separately, Rio stated on X that, as convenor of the High-Level Task Force on Handloom and Handicrafts, he presented the task force’s final report during the plenary session.
According to the chief minister, the report incorporated inputs from all eight north-eastern states and proposed a phased roadmap for the sector, with objectives including raw material self-reliance, increased artisan incomes, livelihood generation and promotion of the Northeast as a centre for ethical and sustainable textiles.