NFHRCC counters PWD (R&B) claims on foothills road

Nagaland Foothills Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC) has issued a clarification on certain “facts and figures” mentioned in a statement by PWD (Roads & Bridges) department regarding the ongoing foothills road construction.
In a press release, NFHRCC said the project was initiated in 2013 as a “people’s road” with the endorsement of 10 apex Naga tribal hohos and with the knowledge and cooperation of the department under the patronage of chief minister Neiphiu Rio.
It said other bodies including the Nagaland Zeliang People Organisation, Kuki Inpi Nagaland, Tikhir Union and Western Chakhesang Hoho later joined the committee, raising the membership to 14 tribal hohos.
According to NFHRCC, the project was launched with the aim of connecting Tizit to Dimapur by providing a dignified motorable road. It stated that landowners had agreed to provide land for a 40-foot road width without compensation and without any form of taxation from NPGs. NFHRCC said NOCs were collected through respective tribal hohos in 2013 and later handed over to the chief minister in 2018 at his request.
It further stated that the state government under Neiphiu Rio later proposed renaming the project as the ‘Trans Nagaland Highway’ in 2018 and extending connectivity up to Khelma in Peren district, covering about 398.5 km from Tizit. It maintained that the public expectation was for the government to first complete the proposed two-lane road using the already provided 40-ft NOC.
NFHRCC said that since mobilising the requisite resources was the prerogative of the state government, it must explore ways and means to provide the basic needs of the people.
On the selection of contractors for Phase-I, the committee claimed that despite the department denying political interference, the MLA of 40 Bhandari constituency had reportedly stated in public speeches and a written letter to Lotha Hoho, admitting that he had personally scrutinised the credentials of certain firms, including M/S JK Constructions and M/S Chabou & Co., and recommended them.
NFHRCC said he had even claimed to have obtained assurances from the two firms that they would invest their own resources to complete the works even if the state government failed to release funds on time. Evidence of this, including posts on digital social media and a letter reportedly written by him, was available for verification if necessary, it stated.
Regarding Phase-II of the two-lane project under SASCI loan scheme, NFHRCC said administrative approval had already been obtained and that it had been earlier indicated that the entire black-topping work would be completed by 2027. However, since SASCI scheme is a performance-based loan scheme, it said the department’s failure to provide valid reasons for the delay in issuing the second phase work orders, despite its earlier assurance, was shocking and termed a betrayal of the people of Nagaland.
The committee further pointed out that under Phase-I, 17 work orders worth Rs 148.5 crore had been issued with an initial completion period of 12 months, which technically expired in December 2025 but was later extended to March 31, 2026.
It also clarified the funding pattern for the project, stating that about Rs 70 crore sanctioned in 2013-14 was under SPA fund with a 90:10 central-state assistance ratio, while Rs 30 crore sanctioned in 2021-22 was likely from state resources and generous consideration of the chief minister on public demand. Another Rs 148.5 crore was sanctioned under SASCI soft loan scheme with a 50-year repayment period.
NFHRCC maintained that the claim that Rs 245.5 crore was entirely derived from state resources was misleading. It said the objective of the committee and tribal hohos was to support successive state governments in completing the road from Tizit to Khelma and to protect contractors from multiple taxation so that the people of Nagaland could benefit from improved connectivity and economic development.
The committee appealed to the concerned department not to undermine what it described as the unified voice of the people regarding the foothills road project.