The NFHRCC is constrained to strongly resent the remark “WE CAN NOT MAKE ROADS IN THE SKY” made by the Hon’ble CM on the floor of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly.
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The NFHRCC is constrained to strongly resent the remark “WE CAN NOT MAKE ROADS IN THE SKY” made by the Hon’ble CM on the floor of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly yesterday (on March 10).
The crux of the issue is, the 17 work orders were issued under SASCI to different firms in the month of December 2024 after signing contract agreement with the PWD (R & B). Out of which two Firms M/S JK Construction and M/S Chabou & Co were served with Show Cause Notice on 4th February 2026. Subsequently, on 7th February 2026 Hon’ble Minister Shri. Kaito Aye inspected the site of the two firms. Thereon, it was arrived (at) by the minister concerned that Show Cause Notice was issued in view of communication gap and in the light of which time was extended till 31st March 2026. In the meantime, it was brought to the notice of the public that JK Construction and Chabou & Co. were executing substandard works at Baghty Division.
Thus, in the given situation, the concerned minister is dead silent over and above the Concerned Hon’ble MLA on whose recommendations the contract works were allotted to M/S JK Construction and M/S Chabou & Co is zipped up his mouth which is very unreasonable and unjustified. In the given situation, it is also expected from the Hon’ble Chief Minister to question the concerned department about the delay and sub-standards of the project which is very dear to him since 1993. Hon’ble Minister Shri Kaito Aye made it very clear and loud that he will resign if the project didn’t work out. Therefore, it is high time for the Hon’ble Minister to speak to the Naga public. It was assured by the concerned minister that the FHR will be completed by 2027 under SASCI.
Therefore, in view of which the Naga public is urging upon the concerned department to issue the second phase work orders under SASCI, which was fully assured by the concerned Minister. Regarding two lane construction, all the landowners have willingly donated their land without a penny of compensation from Khelma to Tizit, which is around 395.9 km, and if we calculate the same in the form of compensation it will come out few thousand crores which itself is historic as no landowners had ever donated free of cost of land to this magnitude since statehood.
It is also an admitted fact that on the said donated land, two-lane road construction is being executed under SASCI and the first phase is nearing completion, therefore Naga public is requesting the government of Nagaland to issue second phase under SASCI as assured. However, instead of issuing second phase work orders under SASCI, the government is talking about four-lane construction which is not the present subject matter. But, the issue in hand is with regard to construction of two-lane under SASCI which is ongoing, and for that matter landowners are not asking any compensation; they (landowners) have given NOCs and the same has been handed over to our Hon’ble CM Dr. Rio way back in 2018.
Therefore, there is no confusions with regard to issuance of second phase work orders under SASCI which is ongoing, and in the light of which the government should not point the finger to landowners saying that they had asked for compensations; rather the government and the entire Naga public should be very grateful to all the landowners for giving free land for construction of two-lane FHR.
The Committee would like to share the following facts and figures once again on the genealogy of the Nagaland Foothills Road Project for the public to digest in detail.
1. First attempt: It was said to have been attempted in 1974-75, proposed by the then Cabinet Minister late Shri Mhondamo Kithan (40 Bhandari A/C) under the leadership of late Shri Vizol Angami CM and Dr.SC Jamir as the Dy. CM and later during his short stint as the CM. Result - Mission abandoned.
2. Second attempt: In 1993, when Dr. N. Rio was the Minister-In-Charge for NPWD, Road & Bridges under the chief ministership of Dr. SC Jamir, the GoN reportedly made an attempt. Result - Abandoned reportedly due to strong opposition from the neighbouring State.
Therefore, on both occasions initiated by the government, the project was set aside and abandoned. Whatever the reasons may be for the setback, we still must thank the State Government.
3. The 3rd attempt: In 2013 - Due to pressing need and genuine desire to have a dignified road within our own state, the real concept of the foothills road linking Tizit and Dimapur was reignited, and this time it was initiated by CSO under the aegis of Nagaland Foothills Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC), spearheaded by Ao Senden and backed by the CNTC; later it was migrated to the 10 Naga Tribal Apex HOHOs. The government of Nagaland under the leadership of Dr. N. Rio, CM, GoN, the PWD, R&B, and the NFHRCC painstakingly executed the alignment of the NFHR project which is also recognised as Naga Historic Survival Road.
Why is the Foothills Road called an extra-ordinary project?
a. Because, it is the unison voice of 10 Naga Tribes to bail out the Nagas from the yoke of humiliation and unreasonable harassment due to the lack of dignified road connectivity within our own state.
b. A vision to improvise the socio-economic welfare of the people living in the foothills on the border area of Nagaland where for decades, the poor farmers were deprived of their livelihood owing to the lack of proper road connectivity and market linkages within the state of Nagaland.
c. Landowners parted their lands without even a penny of compensation.
d. Non state actors fully agreed upon to exempt taxes; popular government agreed to put extraordinary efforts to meet the aspiration of the people. Therefore, the Foothills Road is also called an extraordinary Project.
e. The nature of the Foothills Road project was extra-ordinary; the government of Nagaland had fully endorsed the Department of Public Works, R&B and the NFHRCC for a Joint Survey of alignments and fully authorised the committee to select contractors, and a green signal was given to build the road on credit till the time the government could mobilise the requisite funds.
Thereby, On June 13,2013, marathon meeting was convened comprising various tribes--Ao, Lotha, Sema, Konyak, Phom, Rengma, Chang,Yimkhiung, Sangtam and Khiamniungan. In the said meeting, the following resolutions were adopted among others:
(i) The FHR should be constructed within the definition of Foothill Road. It is also resolved to pray before the landowners not to take land compensation for the proposed FHR constructions.
(ii) To appeal before the freedom fighters to exempt the proposed Foothills constructions from taxation.
(iii) Not to politicise the Nagaland Foothills Road project in any manner whatsoever.
(iv) On July 17, 2013, the NFHRCC members met the then Hon’ble Chief Minister of Nagaland Dr. N. Rio, thereon, the Hon’ble CM fully assured that his government would take up the project on priority and further assured to the committee members not to worry for the fund as the government was well prepared to take care of the financial matter.
(v) On July 23, 2013, a meeting was held with all the Hon’ble border MLAs at Saramati Hotel; proposed Foothills Road project be not politicised in any form.
(vi) On August 14, 2013, prayer and fasting (programme) was organised to invoke the blessings of the Almighty God. Then on September 24, 2013, the first survey was conducted by the NFHRCC with acute hardship and difficulties.
(vii) Accordingly, on December 21, 2013, the historic construction was 1st launched at Longtho sector, and then subsequently on December 27, 2013 at Merapani, followed by Changpang II (ONGC), Baghty Division.
Being extraordinary by concept, ABAM (Ao Baptist Arogo Mondang) had mobilised an amount of INR 36,56,282/- (Rupees thirty six lakhs fifty six thousand two hundred and eighty two only) towards the NFHRCC through its congregations, but the committee being a coordinating body and not a construction team by nature had let the ABAM to hand over the donated funds via Cheque to the Hon’ble CM in his Office Chamber in person on June 26, 2019 by the Executive Secretary, ABAM, who was accompanied by representatives of the NFHRCC.
The Foothills Road Project being a concerted effort by nature, the committee had also written a request letter to the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Shri Narendra Modi on October 19, 2019 through the kind Office of the Hon’ble Governor of Nagaland Shri RN Ravi to upgrade the Trans Nagaland Expressway (Foothills Road) to that of National Highway Status.
The NOC obtained through the Apex Tribal HOHOs was handed over to the Hon’ble CM Shri N. Rio on his request in 2018 to enable the CE Testing Company Pvt. Ltd, Kolkota, chartered by the MoRTH, for detail scaled survey of the Trans Nagaland Expressway (Foothills Road).
The then CM of Nagaland was kind enough to arrange a centrally assisted fund under SPA in 2013 for about INR 70 crore. Then, the Hon'ble CM relinquished his post and went to New Delhi as an MP (Lok Sabha). Aftermath, the NDA government abolished the Planning Commission and subsequently NITI AYOG came into being. SPA funding system too was also abolished in the country, thus all funding under SPA stopped, including the Foothills roads, yet the crusade of the Foothills Road continued unabated by the NFHRCC; the Doyang Bridge at Governor's Camp was paused for a while during 2014-2018 due to certain reasons including demonetisation under NDA regime as well as the ULB movement (JCC) in 2016-17, etc. Between 2013 and 2018, the state experienced numerous changes in CMs like the musical chair. Yet, the NFHRCC never gave up the project.
In 2018, Shri N. Rio returned to the state as the Hon'ble CM. He was also instrumental in rechristening the FHR to Trans Nagaland Expressway which will also connect Khelma in Peren district, covering a distance of over 395 km. His government had also reached out to MoRTH, New Delhi. In response, the MoRTH had deputed an independent firm, the CE Testing & Infra Co. Ltd., for a complete and comprehensive survey of the Foothills Road, which the NFHRCC fully cooperated with full knowledge of the government. On the strength of it, the state government had even submitted a DPR costing a considerable amount to MORTH, GoI for possible funding and upgrading to NH status. All these years of FHR journey, the concerned Department and the NFHRCC have been, undoubtedly, closely working hard in a concerted manner.
In 2018-19 and 2024-25 respectively, the NFHRCC family rose to 14 Tribal HOHOs after Kuki INPI, Nagaland; NZPO; Tikhir Union; and the Western Chakhesang HOHO joined the Foothills Road Mission crusaders.
In 2021, due to mounding public pressure, the NFHRCC had literally compelled/ forced the State government to inject INR 30 crore to keep the Foothills Road project alive by making it a jeepable road at least during dry season in 2021-22 while waiting for New Delhi to approve the mega project. Subsequently, the twice abandoned longest bridge in Nagaland, measuring 442.25 ft span in length over River Doyang, Governors’ camp Liphanyan, Baghty Division was inaugurated online by the Hon’ble Union Home Minister, Shri Amit Shah at Niathu Resort on January 6, 2023 and a dedicatory programne was subsequently performed by the NFHRCC on January 29, 2023.
After lots of cohesive effort done, in 2023-24, the NFHRCC met the Hon’ble Governor of Nagaland Shri La. Ganesan and apprised him of the NLA Resolution adopted in September 22, 2022 to construct the Foothills Road under NEC funding for his possible intervention, following which, the Committee met the Hon’ble Union Minister of DONER Shri G. Kishan Reddy at New Delhi in December 20, 2023. Over and above, the government of Nagaland also made an effort, consequent upon which the project was roped in under SASCI Scheme soft loan in the 1st Phase amounting to INR 148.5 crore in 2023-24 fiscal year.
The Paradox of the current controversial issue of some contractor firms backed by a few legislators, and lacklustre performance was a sheer violation of 2013 agreements / understanding between the State government and the Department concerned and the committee.
Further, the NFHRCC wholeheartedly resolved to continue to welcome any Apex Nagaland Tribal HOHOs that are yet to affiliate with the Committee on the basis of inclusive Nagaland Peoples’ Road Project. Any changes in the original alignments unequivocally adopted in 2013, except in some inevitable and justifiable circumstances, shall not be allowed in whatsoever cases it may be.
The sole mission and vision of the NFHRCC is loud and clear, and that is to provide a dignified connectivity road to the people of Nagaland which had been eluding us even after six decades of Statehood, strengthen the hands of the concerned Department through transparency, fair, inclusive and judicious distribution of funds, quality assurance of workmanship, and to protect the sanctity of the contractor firms from unwanted harassment in the form of unabated taxation from various quarters.
What had really transpired was the issue of unjustified debate triggered of late on the Foothills Road Project, arbitrarily by few vested interested people, was unfortunate and self-explanatory, which is extremely distasteful for a just society. Let every intellectual Nagas of all walks of life abd social strata review, analyse and decide on the self-induced contentious issue pertaining to the core Foothills Road Project and lend a befitting support to the noble cause, at least for the sake of our younger generations to come.
Issued by
The Media Cell, NFHRCC