Deputy chief minister TR Zeliang, who is in charge of National Highways department, has urged Union Minister of Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari to consider annual allotment of funds for maintenance of national highway in the state that were looked after by the Nagaland PWD, NH Division.
Speaking at the review meeting of national highways in Nagaland convened by Gadkari in New Delhi on Tuesday, Zeliang said following the discontinuation of Ordinary Repair (OR) and Flood Damage Repair (FDR) from last year, the state PWD, NH Division had been facing acute financial issue to carry out emergency repair of highways, especially during monsoon season.
As landslides and mudslides occurred very often on national highways in Nagaland, and engineers of the respective divisions found it very difficult to maintain smooth flow of traffic without funds, he requested the minister to allot funds to the state PWD (NH) for emergency use. He assured that utilisation certificate would be submitted to the ministry in this regard.
Expressing gratitude to Gadkari for convening the project review meeting to help resolve pending issues and expedite the ongoing NH projects in the state, he maintained that a timely review meeting helped keep track of the projects and also collectively address issues that might directly or indirectly hamper the progress of ongoing projects.
Zeliang acknowledged that one of the major challenges faced by Nagaland in smoothly carrying out works was the issue of land acquisition, pointing out that due to unique land holding system and the rights enshrined in Article 371(A) of the Constitution of India, the challenge before the state government was to convince land owners to part with their land at a reasonable rate for developmental activities.
He claimed that the state government had been working fervently towards amicable resolution and providing the necessary right of way (RoW) to the implementing agencies to carry out work without any hindrance. On the issues flagged by the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH), he assured that prompt actions were being taken to resolve them.
He claimed that there was no issue for 7 km on the Peren-Dimapur Package-V for a total length of 17 km, but admitted that landowners of the 10-km stretch demanded land compensation, resulting in the delay for issuing RoW.
However, he disclosed that after several rounds of discussions and negotiations by the state government to resolve the matter, the landowners accepted the terms of the government.
He said damage compensation assessment and survey were underway at present, adding that the government was positive that work on the package would soon start and the ambitious NH-129A would be completed soon, connecting neighbouring Manipur.
In this regard, he also requested early approval for sanction of the Peren town build-up area of 2.8 km stretch in Package-I that was descoped from the main contract. With Gadkari’s personal intervention into the matter, he said the state government had submitted damage assessment estimate to National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).
He mentioned that it was almost five years now and the NHIDCL had finally issued Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) for the stretch. However, as sanction for both civil work and damage compensation was awaited from MoRTH, he requested the minister to look into it and expedite the matter.
Referring to Kohima by-pass packages III and IV, Zeliang stated that the matter was under litigation by individual landowner claiming land compensation, adding that the state government was pursuing in the court for early disposal of the case. Given that only small stretches were under contest, he hoped that it would be resolved soon and RoW would be issued to NHIDCL to carry out the work.
For the Kohima-Jessami Package-I, he mentioned that the issue was the construction of nine culverts without any provision for protection and compensation towards the valley side, as agricultural land and activities on the valley side would be affected without protection works and proper drainage system.
He requested the NHIDCL and MoRTH to take the matter into consideration and fulfil the prayer of the affected landowners by adopting protection measure and providing necessary damage compensation though the areas in question lay beyond RoW.
In package-II, he mentioned that the hindrance of 1.4 km in Chakhabama military area was due to demand of damage compensation on the valley side, over which the views of NHIDCL and district administration varied. Hence, at a review meeting held on October 16, he said he had asked NHIDCL and district administration to go for a joint survey and re-verify the site and ascertain whether the standing structures would be really affected or not. The report for this is expected within the next week.
For hindrance in Package-III that was about 26 metre only, he said the district administration led by the deputy commissioner (DC) had assured that the issue would be resolved within one month.
In Package-IV, the issue was on the demand for collateral damage compensation, whose cost had been submitted by Phek DC/CALA to NHIDCL for payment. He requested NHIDCL and MoRTH to determine the responsibility for payment for collateral damage to avoid any unforeseen complications that could hamper the ongoing road construction activities.
On land acquisition for construction of 178-km NH-202 across four districts of Phek, Kiphire, Tuensang and Shamator at a total cost of Rs 3,119 crore, the deputy chief minister said the MoRTH had rightly noted that as per state government notification of November 28, 2023, land compensation would be paid henceforth for all national highway projects, unlike in the past where only damage compensation was paid and land was provided free of cost, inviting numerous court litigation in several projects.
According to him, the delay in finalisation of land rates and process of acquisition was due to comparative studies carried out on land Acts of neighbouring states and also National Highways Act, 1956. However, after much deliberation, it had been decided that the state government would amend the Nagaland Land (Acquisition & Requisition) Act, 1965, specifically for national highway projects.
He mentioned that the amendment would be adopted by the upcoming Nagaland Legislative Assembly session in line with the National Highways Act, 1956 and the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RFCTLARR) Act, 2013.
However, as immediate and remedial measure for the four districts to be covered in the instant proposal, the district administration had submitted the land rates that been approved by the State Land Acquisition Authority (SLAA) chaired by the chief minister on the basis of the existing Nagaland Land (Acquisition & Requisition) Act, 1965.
The PWD National Highways division had been directed to immediately incorporate the land rates in the DPR for onward submission to the ministry. Zeliang expressed confidence that the project would be sanctioned at the earliest, and the remotest parts of Nagaland would witness good and sustainable roads within the next two to three years.
This proposal started from Chare town (Tuensang district) to Wongto village (Shamator district), and from Saddle (Tuensang district) to Yei bridge (Shamator), and from Yei bridge via Kiphire district to Akhegwo in Phek district.
He noted that the four-lane Dimapur-Kohima road project remained incomplete even after eight years, for which the people were made to face inconvenience daily. He pointed out that slope protection measure was not included, particularly in Package-1, the Pagla Pahar stretch, in the initial DPR, while vertical cutting of rocks and earth posed a hazard to the commuters.
He recalled the loss of two precious lives on July 4, 2022 following a rock falling on a car, while fortunately no lives were lost when a similar incident occurred on July 5, 2023 though occupants of the car were seriously injured. To add to the sufferings of the public, he said a major portion of the road was swept away by river in one stretch this year, resulting in closing of the road and allowing only one-way traffic.
Further, he mentioned that NHIDCL had issued completion certificate for Package-II, though work on this package was far from being complete. He said the state government had raised objection to the matter and expressed unhappiness that it was kept in the dark when completion certificate was issued.
He suggested sending official technical team from MoRTH to verify on the spot for confirmation and initiate necessary action thereof on the matter.
Thanking Gadkari for convening the meeting, Zeliang expressed confidence that the issues raised at the meeting would be resolved, and continue to work together for better road connectivity for all-round development and fulfil the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. This was stated in a press release issued by deputy chief minister’s office.