NTC seeks probe into Dmu-Kma rail project spending

DIMAPUR, OCT 5 (NPN): Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) has appealed to the state government and Nagaland’s two MPs to seek an immediate inquiry into the implementation of the Dimapur-Kohima (Dhansiri-Zubza) railway project, including the reported expenditure of Rs 6,663.20 crore against an original estimated cost of Rs 850 crore. In an “urgent appeal” to chief minister and the two MPs, NTC president C Pankathung Lotha and general secretary C Onen Walling sought disclosure of the project’s financial and physical progress and called for an FIR and criminal investigation against those responsible if wrongdoing was established.
The council said the project, taken up in 2006-07, had achieved less than 25% physical progress despite the reported expenditure, describing the situation as a matter of concern.
It also questioned the absence of reported progress before the latest available information, which it said covered the period only up to May 2020.
According to NTC, the railway authorities had engaged two construction agencies and the project alignment had been changed seven times. It also alleged that materials, tools and equipment procured for the project, including from the US, were later found unsuitable for the work.
NTC alleged that the scale of expenditure and slow progress raised questions about the management of public funds and called for an investigation to establish how the reported Rs 6,663.20 crore had been spent over nearly two decades.
The council said completion of the railway link would significantly improve connectivity between Dimapur and Kohima and facilitate the movement of passengers and goods.
NTC also raised concerns over the ongoing upgradation of Dimapur railway station, saying only 7% of the work had reportedly been completed. It urged the state government and the two MPs to ensure that the remaining work was completed within the stipulated two-year period.
The council appealed to the state government, MPs and civil society organisations to pursue both projects and prevent further delays and wastage of public funds.