Nagaland Foothills Road Co-ordination Committee (NFHRCC) has affirmed that until and unless the responsible authority admitted that the progress given with regard to the Doyang bridge construction on February 3, 2021 was fabricated or untrue, the committee would stand by the department’s progress report. (See box)
In a press release, NFHRCC convenor Supu Jamir, assistant general secretary Chenithung Humtsoe and information secretary Himahito Chishi stated that the progress report given by the department has been duly endorsed by the joint inspection team consisting of Tribal Hohos, concerned department, the contractor firm and the committee on February 10, 2021.
Describing Nagaland Foothills road as an extra ordinary project initiated by Naga public in the year 2013, the NFHRCC said the “character of its extra-ordinariness” were that land owners were convinced not to take even a penny as land compensation; Naga national workers were urged not to tax any amount on the construction of the Foothills Road; convinced the department not to make any other deduction other than the statutory deduction and that it was a project neither from the government nor from the department concerned, but a project initiated by the Naga public (Civil Society Organisations and the Hohos).
It recalled that the project was first launched on December 21, 2013 at Longtho Junction, Mokokchung district.
Since then, NFHRCC said that despite of many odd situations and difficulties the committee in consonance with the R&B department and with the blessing from the chief minister, the project was going on till date particularly with regard to the Doyang bridge construction.
The committee stated that, on the request of the state chief minister, it had handed over the NOC given by the land owners to the chief minister. Accordingly, NFHRCC said the same was sent to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) by the chief minister.
Consequent upon which, the committee said the chief engineer and Kolkata-based testing consultancy firm had surveyed and prepared the necessary DPRs. It said the matter has already reached the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and awaiting declaration of the Foothills Project to Trans Nagaland Expressway.
While awaiting the mega project, the committee said it has resolved to make the road motorable and has appealed to the state government for providing requisite fund. It said the file has already reached the chief minister’s office for consideration.
Welcoming the chief minister’s statement during ENPO Silver Jubilee celebration at Tobu on February 24, 2021 that his government was “ready to make the fund available through any means for the construction of motorable/Jeepable road”, the committee has urged the chief minister to provide necessary funds before the expiry of the working season.