Kohima Bench of Gauhati High Court has issued a set of instructions to the entities involved in the construction of National Highway-29 between Kohima and Dimapur.
KOHIMA — The
Kohima Bench of Gauhati High Court has issued a set of instructions to the
entities involved in the construction of National Highway-29 between Kohima and
Dimapur.
The court, in an order passed on March 12, directed the
chief engineer of PWD (NH) to address the issue of blacktopping the NH-29
stretch in Kohima to mitigate the grievances of the people.
This is in reference to the 12.64 km road stretch, which
starts from Jotsoma by-pass to Lerie gate in Kohima district.
The mentioned road stretch (chainage 172.900 km/Jotsoma
by-pass to 185.540/Lerie gate) is under the jurisdiction of the Public Works
Department (NH) of Nagaland.
Hearing the matter on Wednesday, Amicus Curiae Taka Masa
submitted that the condition of the 12.64 km stretch is still in deplorable
condition, though execution of the works was supposed to be completed within a
period of three months, with effect from December 16, 2024.
The additional advocate general of Nagaland had submitted
that after the grant of sanction for special repair by the Ministry of Road
Transport & Highways (MoRTH), special repair for the reconstruction of
protection works, clearance of landslides, and restoration of the damaged
stretch with non-bituminous items of work was sanctioned, and a work order was
issued in favour of Quinker Enterprises (Respondent No. 20) on December 16,
2024, with the scheduled period of completion as three months.
The chief engineer, PWD (NH), in a letter dated January 21,
2025, also mentioned that as and when the works entrusted to Respondent No. 20
are completed and the road crust restored and strengthened, the department
would pursue with the MoRTH for blacktopping of the stretch.
Package III of NH-29
Meanwhile, the authority engineer of NHIDCL as well as the
counsel for the respondent in respect of package-III (Brand Eagles) have
submitted that the progress of the work achieved so far is in and around 50% as
of today.
They further submitted that the progress made on all fronts
will be brought by way of an affidavit within two weeks’ time. The court
instructed that the affidavit be accompanied by the bar chart of progress.
The total length of the Dimapur-Kohima National Highway-29
is approximately 56 km. The MoRTH had entrusted the NHIDCL with the
construction work of NH-29 for a length of 43 km through package-I, package-II,
and package-III.
During the hearing, attention was also drawn to the issue of
the sinking area at chainage 164 at Zubza.
The Court directed Respondent No. 15 (Brand Eagles) to make
all endeavours to submit the design with regard to the pile foundation work at
chainage 164 at Zubza to the NHIDCL within a period of the next two weeks so
that the NHIDCL can give consideration to it.
Bailey steel bridge update
On likely completion of the half-done Bailey steel bridge at
chainage 155 at Peducha-Zubza, the NHIDCL informed that construction of the
bridge had already started.
The authority engineer, NHIDCL, also submitted that the
foundation works for the bridge have already been completed, and presently the
sub-structure work of the bridge is being executed.
The respondent asked for two weeks’ time to file an
affidavit about the status of work on the bridge.
Pagla Pahar riverbank extension
In regard to land acquisition required for extension of the
riverbank in Pagla Pahar area, chainage 126, which was washed away by
floodwaters, the court directed the completion of land acquisition process and
expansion of the riverbank before the rainy season on the next date of listing.
It also instructed the additional advocate general of
Nagaland to place instruction with regard to the action taken on the report of
the deputy commissioner of Chümoukedima by the commissioner of Nagaland.
Earlier, a joint verification conducted by the DC
Chümoukedima along with the officials of various departments, including the
NHIDCL, village council members, and the contractor, ascertained that an area
of land measuring 34,285 sq. ft. has been affected for proper flow of the
river, and an assessment worked out pertaining to the acquisition of the land
and the accidental damage.
The verification report was forwarded to the commissioner of
Nagaland on February 10 for further action.
Pherima landslide
The NHIDCL and the additional advocate general also
submitted before the court that the works of clearance of debris from the area
in and around chainage 141.200 near Pherima village, NH-29, are in progress as
of the date. The work is expected to be completed within a period of two weeks
(from March 12).
On this, the court directed the NHIDCL to place and explain
the up-to-date status of the debris clearance work in the area.
On the matter regarding the removal of debris from chainage
161 at Zubza, the deputy commissioner of Kohima stated that the debris from the
landslide area was removed by the contractor on the intervention of the
district administration. The Amicus Curiae submitted that the work carried out
is satisfactory.
The court also stated that the appearance of Respondent No.
18 (Innovative Construction, Govt. Contractor & Supplier) pertaining to the
removal of overhanging rocks at chainage 127+230 and at chainage 125+950 is
dispensed with for the time being.
On the matter of Respondent No. 19 (Maccaferri
Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd.), where the contractor has to complete the slope
construction project on or before May 31, 2025, it was suggested that the court
wait to know about the progress till the next date of listing.
Further, the Authority Engineer, NHIDCL, and counsel for
Respondent No. 19 assured to apprise the court about the work order with regard
to the slope construction project at chainage 164 and the progress, if any, on
the next date of listing.
