Nagaland: NFHRCC urges govt to issue 2nd phase work order

Nagaland Foothills Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC) has reminded the State Public Works Department (Roads & Bridges), about the ultimatum served to the state government by 13 Dimapur-based tribal hohos demanding issuance of work orders through an open tender process for the remaining divisions of the Foothills Road project.
In a statement, NFHRCC said the ultimatum deadline was set for March 31, 2026, but noted that there has been no indication of response from the concerned department so far. The committee also urged the tribal hohos to remain mentally, emotionally, financially and strategically prepared for democratic forms of protest if the government fails to keep the two-lane Foothills Road construction initiative alive.
NFHRCC stated that the state government has already invested around Rs.248.5 crore in the project, including Rs.148.5 crore under the first phase of the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) loan scheme.
The Foothills Road project, initiated in 2013 by NFHRCC under the guidance of tribal apex hohos, is a major infrastructure initiative covering about 395.9 km from Tizit in Mon district to Khelma in Peren district. The road passes through eight districts and more than 200 villages.
According to the committee, during the initial phase landowners provided a 40-foot right-of-way without compensation, while the Naga National Political Groups (NNPGs) granted tax exemption for the project in 2013. The necessary alignment across all sectors was later finalised and the original No Objection Certificates from tribal hohos were handed over to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio in 2018 at his request.
NFHRCC further stated that the chief minister had approved construction of the two-lane Foothills Road under the SASCI loan scheme in phases, with the first phase nearing completion and the overall project targeted for completion by 2027.
Emphasising the importance of the road, the committee said Nagas had long awaited such a connectivity route for more than 60 years of statehood, describing road infrastructure as the “mother of development.”
It appealed to the government to first complete the ongoing two-lane project under the SASCI scheme before considering any expansion to a four-lane road under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, cautioning that the two proposals should not be confused.