A muddy and waterlogged section of the under-construction NH-29 Package-II (Kikruma) along the Kohima–Jessami Road.
KOHIMA, AUGUST 2 (MExN): The Chakhesang Public Organisation (CPO) has expressed "strong displeasure and serious concern" over the prolonged delay and lack of tangible progress in the construction of the two-lane NH-29 Package-II (Kikruma) under the Kohima-Jessami Road, and has called for immediate intervention to ensure completion of the project within the stipulated September 2026 deadline.
In a press statement, the CPO urged Ratna Infrastructure Projects Pvt. Ltd., the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor, and the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) to take immediate corrective measures and expedite the work.
According to the organisation, the project was originally tendered in 2019 with a completion deadline of June 30, 2022. However, it stated that the contract with the previous EPC contractor was terminated after the agency failed to achieve the required progress.
The prolonged delay, it said, has caused "immeasurable hardship, developmental setbacks and substantial public loss" to communities dependent on the road.
Although the project was subsequently re-awarded to Ratna Infrastructure Projects Pvt. Ltd., the CPO maintained that progress on the ground remains "highly unsatisfactory and grossly disproportionate to the urgency and importance of the project."
It further alleged that repeated assurances by the executing agency have not translated into visible progress.
The organisation stated that despite sustained public concern, the contractor has failed to fulfil its contractual obligations. It claimed that the Project Monitoring Group (PMG) has recommended to NHIDCL that the contract with Ratna Infrastructure Projects Pvt. Ltd. be terminated and the project entrusted to "a competent and efficient agency" capable of completing the work within the stipulated timeframe. However, it expressed concern that the matter remains pending with NHIDCL.
Describing the Kohima-Jessami corridor as "a critical lifeline," the CPO said the road provides essential connectivity between Kohima and the districts of Phek, Meluri and Kiphire, while also serving as a strategic route towards Manipur and the International Trade Centre at Avangkhu on the Indo-Myanmar border.
It said the road is crucial for transportation, trade, education, healthcare, employment, administration and other essential services, particularly in the absence of alternative transport networks such as railways, waterways or regular air connectivity.
The organisation also appealed to the Government of Nagaland to take necessary steps within its jurisdiction and impress upon the concerned authorities to initiate corrective action against agencies whose continued failure has resulted in "serious public inconvenience, developmental loss and avoidable hardship."
The CPO further expressed "deep dissatisfaction" with what it termed NHIDCL's prolonged inaction and lack of effective intervention in ensuring accountability and timely execution of the project. It contended that the repeated delays and unfulfilled commitments associated with the Package-II project "cannot be allowed to continue indefinitely" and amount to "a serious disservice to the public interest."
To safeguard public interest and ensure accountability, the organisation informed that it has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) before the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench, through its counsel, Neiteo Koza and Associates, seeking judicial intervention and monitoring for the timely completion of the project.
The CPO cautioned that "further delay will not be viewed lightly" and called upon NHIDCL and Ratna Infrastructure Projects Pvt. Ltd. to fulfil their respective responsibilities, accelerate construction and ensure completion of the Package-II Kikruma project within the September 2026 deadline "without any further excuses or avoidable delays."
"The people have endured this prolonged failure for far too long. The project must now be delivered, accountability must be ensured, and public interest must take precedence over all other considerations," the organisation added.
