Ao Senden, which inspected the works along Foothills Road stretch from Wati Lenjem (Yajang junction) to Wamakenyimsen village on February 26, 2025, stated that the construction works were found to be as per specifications and most satisfactory till date.
Ao Senden through its president Marsanen Imsong and general secretary Imtipokyim said its desire for the quality workmanship in construction and completion of the historic and extra-ordinary Nagaland Foothills Road was of such intensity that it undertook inspection.
Ao Senden expressed gratitude to the contractor Mongkum Jamir for quality workmanship. Senden also thanked PWD (R&B) Tuli, Langpangkong Tzukong Mungdang and Wamaken village council for being a part of inspection team.
Ao Senden also conveyed gratitude to the government of Nagaland under the leadership of chief minister Dr. Neiphiu Rio, under whose watch historic and extra-ordinary Nagaland Foothills Road was started by the Apex Tribal Hohos in 2013.
Over the years, Senden said the state government provided the necessary funds while the Nagaland Foothills Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC), created by Apex Tribal Hohos to coordinate, work, defend and protect the contractors on their behalf from all bad social elements, carried out many groundbreaking tasks.
Ao Senden reminded that there was an implementing agreement signed from 2013 between NHFCC and the contractors, who do contract works in the Foothills Road.
Senden said negotiations were also done with the Naga political groups not to impose taxes on the contractors and with the landowners to part with their land without any compensation.
NHFCC on behalf of apex tribal hohos met Union Minister and Governor of Nagaland La Ganesan seeking funds for Foothills Road.
Ao Senden credited NFHRCC for the well-developed lands donated by some landowners amounting to more than hundreds of crores at the new re-alignment from Wati Lenjem (Yajang junction) to Wamakenyimsen village stretch under Mokokchung District, at a meeting on September 23, 2024 at Community Hall Wamaken Village.
Ao Senden as a stakeholder expressed gratitude to all the landowners who donated and sacrificed their well-developed lands without taking even a single paise of money as compensation.
“In this context, with the arrival of judicious fund in the present year, there seems to be reluctance among some contractors who got work orders to work in the Foothills Road, to work according to the set tradition from 2013,” Senden said.
It therefore urged the “reluctant contractors” to bring their problem to the table and seek solution amicably. However, Senden expressed belief that the “unseverable sense of Naga belongingness” would bring them to their senses and would do the needful without delay.
To bring Foothills Road to a logical completion, the Ao Senden, Lotha Hoho and Sumi Hoho had resolved not to let any contractors undertake work under their respective jurisdictions whosoever break away from the set tradition from 2013 of signing the implementing agreement with them.
Senden said the resolution adopted on January 16, 2025 at Mokokchung was reaffirmed on February 4 at Wokha and also declared before PWD(R&B) minister on February 7 meeting with Apex Tribal Hohos, in the presence of the engineer-in-chief and his officials, by the three Hohos.
At the meeting, Senden said Minister PWD(R&B) informed that a meeting would be scheduled with the NHFRCC at an early date. Amidst the ongoing logjam, Ao Sednen expressed hope that the scheduled meeting would be an ice-breaker between the reluctant contractors and the Apex Tribal Hohos.
However, Senden lamented that the scheduled meeting was yet to be called by PWD(R&B). Senden reiterated that those contractors who refused to sign the implementing agreement would not be allowed to carry out contract works under Ao Senden jurisdiction.