Foothill Road entanglement: Consultative meeting takes place despite boycott call

•    Govt claims attendance of 16 tribal bodies 
•    MoRTH ready if 30m RoW is provided free 

Kohima, April 7 (MExN): Despite a boycott call hanging overhead, the meeting called by the state government regarding the Nagaland Foothills Road, also known as Trans-Nagaland Highway/Expressway) went ahead as scheduled on April 7 at the Capital Convention Centre in Kohima. The Nagaland Foothills Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC) had previously announced a boycott of the meeting, claiming the support of 14 Dimapur-based tribal hohos, who stated they held the mandate of their respective apex tribal bodies. 

According to a press release, it was “a high-level meeting convened by the Deputy Chief Minister, In-charge of Planning & Transformation and National Highways, TR Zeliang, to deliberate on the proposed upgrading of the controversy-marred Nagaland Foothills Road into a “Trans-Nagaland Highway” in line with National Highway standards. The release, which came from the office of the Dy CM, stated that the meeting also discussed the implications of adopting the National Highways (NH) Act, 1956, in the state.

It said that the meeting was attended by representatives of 16 tribal bodies; but did not list the names except the Chakhroma Public Organisation and the Western Sumi Hoho. The gathering also included elected representatives from the districts affected by the project, all Deputy Commissioners, and officials from the Nagaland Public Works Department (NPWD). As of the time of this report, there was no reaction from the NFHRCC or the Dimapur-based tribal hohos.

In his opening remarks, Dy CM Zeliang clarified the scope of the discussion, stating that “the purpose of the meeting was not to review or deliberate on the ongoing Foothill Road project.” Instead, the focus was on establishing modalities for upgrading the road under the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH). Per Zeliang, the MoRTH had expressed a willingness to undertake the construction and maintenance of the road, provided it aligns with national standards.

The MoRTH is reportedly ready to declare the road a National Highway and fund its construction, if the state provides a 30-metre Right of Way (RoW) free of cost. The release, citing the general sentiment of the conclave, said that fulfilling the 30 metre RoW was not feasible under current conditions. Only 12 metres (around 40 feet) of RoW was said to have been provided free of cost for the “intermediate lane” Foothill Road. As opposed to the government claim, the NFHRCC has maintained that it is a 2-lane. 

The meeting also focused on land acquisition and compensation vis-à-vis the NH Act, 1956 and Article 371(A). Previous state policies had reportedly created obstacles in securing land compensation for National Highway projects between 2018 and 2023. While the State Cabinet resolved in November 2023 to permit land compensation for such projects, the matter remains unresolved with the Union Ministry. The purported deadlock was attributed to the NH Act conflicting with the special provisions of Article 371(A).

While the press release noted that the NH Act offers “comparatively greater benefits than the existing State Act of 1965,” the tribal hoho representatives raised apprehensions that it will contravene the constitutional safeguards provided by Article 371(A). The consensus was that the Act should not be adopted if it infringes upon Article 371(A).

The release said that elected members, including G Kaito Aye, CL John, Nuklutoshi, Achumbemo Kikon, Zhaleo Rio, and Namri Nchang, participated in the discussions. The representatives appealed to the public to consider parting with land as required by the MoRTH to secure “durable, high-quality road infrastructure that would benefit future generations.”

The release cited the Minister of Roads and Bridges, G Kaito Aye emphasising the need for tribal bodies to continue cooperating with the ongoing Foothill Road works to ensure completion without delays. He was quoted as stating, “Where competent technical authorities are in place, other public organisations should refrain from overstepping their mandate or interfering in departmental functions.”

As a way forward, Dy CM Zeliang proposed a compromise of a 15-metre RoW to be provided free of cost. He “directed” that this proposal be finalised within 15 days through consultations with affected villages under their respective District Planning and Development Boards. Once written consent is obtained from all affected Foothill Road districts, he said that the state government will take the proposal to the MoRTH. The meeting was said to have “concluded with a collective resolve to continue consultations and arrive at a mutually acceptable solution in the larger interest of the State’s development and connectivity.”

Addressing queries on the delay of NH-202, which was not on the formal agenda, Zeliang attributed the delay to the conflict over the adoption of the NH Act and “certain technical issues” in appointing a consultant. He expressed optimism that these issues would be resolved shortly.