PSU backs CSU on NH-29 project delay

DIMAPUR, JUN 3 (NPN): Pochury Students’ Union (PSU) has expressed serious concern over the continued delay in completion of the NH-29 two-Lane (Kohima-Jessami Road) Package-II project and extended its support to the demands raised by the Chakhesang Students’ Union (CSU).
In a statement, PSU said the Kohima-Jessami road was a vital lifeline connecting thousands of people across Phek and Meluri districts as well as the eastern parts of Nagaland, and that the prolonged delay had adversely affected students, patients, farmers, traders, government employees, transporters and the general public.
The union lamented that despite repeated appeals, representations and assurances from the contractor and concerned agencies, little visible progress had been made on the ground. It said granting further extensions to the contractor despite unsatisfactory performance had only increased public frustration and resentment.
PSU said it viewed with serious concern the tendency of the responsible authorities to remain unresponsive to the genuine grievances of the people, raised by civil society organisations, student bodies and affected citizens, which it said had fallen on deaf ears. This, PSU said, reflected lack of accountability on the part of agencies responsible for executing and monitoring the project.
It said the prolonged delay had resulted in serious hardship for commuters, who continue to endure unsafe travel conditions.
PSU further said that many people had suffered financial losses due to frequent vehicle breakdowns and damage caused by the poor road condition.
The delay, it said, had also adversely affected patients requiring urgent medical attention, students and businesses dependent on transportation services.
The union stated that the onset of the monsoon season had further worsened the situation, making travel increasingly difficult and unsafe. It stressed that the safety and welfare of the public should not be compromised due to administrative inefficiency or negligence.
PSU therefore endorsed the demands put forward by CSU and urged National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (NHIDCL), the EPC contractor and all concerned authorities to address the issue with urgency. It called for a review of the extension granted to the contractor, proper maintenance and restoration of the existing road and drainage system, and immediate steps to expedite completion of the project without further delay.
Maintaining that development projects were meant for public welfare, PSU said failure to complete such projects within a reasonable timeframe undermined public trust and confidence in the government and implementing agencies.
The union reiterated its solidarity with CSU and asserted that the concerns of the people could no longer be ignored, warning that continued inaction would only intensify demands for accountability from all agencies responsible for the delay.