As Nagaland Foot Hills Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC) reacted to a rejoinder by PWD (R&B) which denied sanction of Rs.430,77,80,000 for the project despite official documents; PWD (R&B) department was quick to offer a corrigendum over the issue saying it was an inadvertent error but added, the money was accorded administrative approval but not sanctioned and hence became “infructuous”.
NFHRCC contests
Nagaland Foothills Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC) strongly contested the Public Works Department (Roads & Bridges) for denying administrative approval of the Foothills Road project. In a rejoinder, the committee asserted that approval worth Rs.430.77 crore had already been sanctioned by the state government.
NFHRCC cited a letter dated March 15, 2024, issued by the additional secretary and addressed to the chief engineer, PWD (R&B), with the minister in-charge’s approval. The committee said it had enclosed a copy of the document for verification.
According to NFHRCC, instead of explaining technical challenges or financial constraints, the department bluntly denied the existence of approval, which the committee described as a betrayal of the people.
It further pointed to another government document detailing financial allocations: Rs.148.50 crore under SASCI, administrative approval of Rs.191.38 crore for single-lane construction on February 12, 2024, and a revised approval of Rs.430.77 crore for double-lane construction up to WBM/WMM level on March 15, 2024.
NFHRCC therefore rejected the department’s clarification published in the media, calling it “ill-constructed and misleading.”
NPWD Disclaimer
PWD (R&B) department has issued a corrigendum clarifying its earlier response to claims made by Nagaland Foothills Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC) regarding administrative approval for the Foothill Road project.
In a statement, the department said its earlier claim of being unaware of any administrative approval amounting to Rs. 430 crore, accorded in March 2024, was made “inadvertently and without any malafide intention.”
It clarified that although administrative approval for Rs. 430 crore had been accorded in March 2024, the same was never sanctioned and had since become infructuous. The department expressed regret over the earlier statement. The department further stated that administrative approval of Rs. 148.50 crore was sanctioned under SASCI in July 2024, which formed the basis of the ongoing works of the Foothill Road project.
PWD (R&B) acknowledged and appreciated the suggestions and continued support extended by NFHRCC in connection with the project.