NFHRCC urges Nagaland government to issue work orders for the second phase of the Foothills Road project.
DIMAPUR — The Nagaland Foothills Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC) has urged the state government to issue work orders for the second phase of the Foothills Road project, utilising the remaining INR 282.27 crore approved under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI), within the current working season.
In a press statement issued on Friday, the NFHRCC said INR 430.77 crore was approved under SASCI during 2024-2025, of which INR 148.5 crore had been utilised for the first phase, leaving INR 282.27 crore for the second phase.
The committee said the second phase under SASCI should have been issued during 2025-2026 but alleged that the government had deliberately ignored it despite being fully aware of the “pathetic condition” of the Naga public.
It appealed to the government to issue the second-phase work orders within the current working season and, if not, explain to the public why the work orders had not been issued despite the approval.
The NFHRCC stated that the Foothills Road project was initiated in 2013, covering a stretch of 395.9 km from Khelma under Peren district to Tizit under Mon district. It said the public had extended full cooperation by providing land for a 40-ft-wide road without compensation, while Naga political groups had also cooperated with the project without imposing any taxation.
However, the committee said the project had been lingering for the last 14 years without much headway, which it attributed to a “lack of political will or leadership in the state.”
Emphasising the importance of the project, the NFHRCC said its construction was indispensable for the state's economy and would help generate resources. It described the Foothills Road as a key infrastructure project, stating that “road is the mother of development”.
The committee also referred to the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, which spans 1,386 km and connects six states. It pointed out that the project, started in 2019, was nearing completion, while the Foothills Road project continued to face delays.
The NFHRCC said it welcomed the mega project in the state but cautioned that the public should not lose sight of the Foothills Road project while awaiting its implementation.
It further stated that declaring Nagaland a “Land of Festivals” was not an answer to the uneven development of the state. While clarifying that it was not against the celebration of festivals, the committee said the government should not lose sight of the hardships faced by the public.