Nagaland Foothills Road Coordination Committee disputes Public Works Department claims on the Foothills Road project, raising issues on funding, contractors and delays.
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DIMAPUR — The Nagaland Foothills Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC) has responded to the recent statement issued by the state Public Works Department (Roads and Bridges), disputing several claims regarding the progress, funding and contractor selection in the ongoing Foothills Road project.
In a clarification issued on Sunday, the committee reminded that the Foothills Road project was originally initiated in 2013 as a “people’s road” with the support of Naga tribal organisations and cooperation from the state government.
According to the NFHRCC, the initiative was endorsed by ten apex Naga tribal hohos in 2013 and later joined by the Nagaland Zeliang People Organisation (NZPO), Kuki Inpi Nagaland, Tikhir Union, and Western Chakhesang Hoho, bringing the total membership to 14 tribal bodies.
The committee stated the road project was conceived to connect Tizit in Mon district to Dimapur by constructing a motorable road, with landowners agreeing to provide land free of compensation for a 40-foot road width.
It added that no-objection certificates (NOCs) from landowners were collected through tribal bodies in 2013 and later handed over to the chief minister in 2018.
Also read: Nagaland PWD rebuts NFHRCC claims, clarifies footing of foothill road project
The NFHRCC also stated that the state government later proposed renaming the project as the “Trans Nagaland Highway” and extending the connectivity up to Khelma in Peren district, covering about 398.5 km from Tizit.
On the issue of contractor selection in Phase I of the project, the committee alleged that despite the department’s denial of political interference, a legislator from the 40 Bhandari Assembly constituency had publicly stated that he scrutinised and recommended certain firms for works under the Baghty division.
The committee claimed that evidence of such statements and correspondence exists.
The NFHRCC further expressed concern over delays in issuing work orders for the second phase of the project under the SASCI loan scheme, which it maintained was expected to facilitate construction of a two-lane blacktopped road along the entire stretch by 2027.
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It stated that under Phase I, 17 work orders worth INR 148.5 crore were issued with a 12-month completion period that technically ended in December 2025.
The department later extended the deadline to March 31, 2026.
Responding to the department’s claim that INR 245.5 crore had been spent from state resources, the committee maintained that the funds came from different sources, including about INR 70 crore sanctioned during 2013–14 under the Special Plan Assistance scheme, INR 30 crore in 2021–22 from state resources, and INR 148.5 crore under the SASCI soft loan scheme.
The NFHRCC reiterated that its objective was to support the state government in completing the road from Tizit to Khelma and to ensure the project proceeds without disruptions such as taxation demands on contractors.
The committee appealed to the department concerned not to “undermine the unified voice of the people” and called for timely completion of the project to improve connectivity and support economic development in the state.