State deputy chief minister TR Zeliang, who is also minister in-charge of national highway, has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to prioritizing the development of National Highways.
The deputy chief minister also said that the government remained committed to addressing challenges and ensuring the timely completion of National Highway projects, which were critical to the State’s infrastructure development and economic growth.
Charing a review meeting to assess the progress of ongoing National Highway projects and address critical issues hindering their smooth implementation, Zeliang emphasized the importance of regular review and coordination meetings to ensure timely completion of projects.
The meeting firstly reviewed the action taken report of last meeting held on January 28, 2025. While majority of flagged issues were resolved, a few critical challenges remain unresolved.
One of the key unresolved issues pertained to the land acquisition for the Peren-Dimapur (Package-V) and Kohima-Jessami (Package-II).
On the land acquisition and damage compensation matter of Peren-Dimapur (Package-V), the deputy commissioner (DC) Chümoukedima informed that delay in finalizing damage compensation was due to non-submission of the estimates by departments such as Horticulture, Agriculture and PWD (Housing).
He also said rectification of alignment in certain sections has further delayed the process. However, DC assured that the matter would be expedited and submitted to NHIDCL at the earliest.
On Kohima-Jessami (Package-II), the deputy chief minister directed the contractor to commence work immediately, warning of termination for undue delays. Both NHIDCL and DC Phek cautioned the contractor for non-performance, which has caused significant hardship to the public.
NIHIDCL executive director highlighted disruptions in the Merangkong-Tamlu-Mon (Package-IV) project caused by the Konyak Union and civil society citing concerns over the quality of work.
These interruptions have resulted in time and cost overruns for the government. Acknowledging the role of civil society as a watchdog, the deputy chief minister has, however, urged the stakeholders to address grievances through proper channels rather than halting work.
Zeliang said that complaints regarding quality should be lodged with the district administration or NHIDCL for verification. “If claims are validated, appropriate action will be taken against the defaulting contractor,” he said.
The deputy chief minister also informed that he would conduct an onsite inspection of the Kohima Bypass on March 11, 2025 to address minor issues faced by the contractor and NHIDCL.
He said the spot verification aims to ensure timely resolution of challenges and smooth progress of the project. The meeting was also attended by the commissioner & secretary (Works & Housing) Kesonyu, commissioner & secretary (land revenue) Zasekuolie Chusi, NHIDCL executive director, deputy commissioners of Kohima, Chumukedima, Phek and Meluri and representative from DC office Peren.