Dimapur, September 6 (MExN): The Lotha Lower Range Public Organisation (LLRPO), along with the Lotha Hoho, Lotha Lower Range Students’ Union (LLRSU) and the Foothills Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC), has called for urgent government intervention to ensure quality construction and timely completion of the Nagaland Foothills Road.
The demand came after a joint consultative meeting of stakeholders held at Khermahal, Dimapur on September 4 to deliberate on findings from recent joint inspections of the ongoing Foothills Road construction in Baghty Division, Wokha district.
According to the LLRPO, officials from the PWD, R&B Baghty Division did not attend the joint inspection or the subsequent consultation despite being officially informed. It termed the absence “inappropriate” and said it undermined efforts by civil society organisations to ensure quality implementation of the project.
The organisation said the Foothills Road was “not merely another road project” but one of strategic and public importance for Nagaland.
“The Foothill Road is a lifeline, not a routine project,” the LLRPO said, urging the government to ensure that the project was executed to the highest standards.
The joint inspection reportedly found several technical and construction-related concerns across different stretches of the project.
At the Tsumang Bridge, being constructed by M/S NCSU c/o Pele Khezhie, the toe wall was found to have collapsed. The inspection attributed the failure to flaws in the Detailed Project Report (DPR), noting that excavation had to be increased substantially beyond the original provision to provide adequate support.
The LLRPO also said the load-bearing capacity of the suspension steel-panel bridge had not yet been ascertained and called for the permissible load capacity to be established and prominently displayed for public safety.
At the Shanthatchu River (Liphi), under M/S N. Chiso & Sons, the contractor reportedly stated that almost all contracted work had been completed as per the DPR. However, additional levelling was required due to the elevated bridge structure. The contractor has sought release of the remaining 40% of the contract amount, stated to be around Rs 94 lakh, and indicated that the additional work would resume following fund allocation.
At Jungju River (Hayiyan), where M/S Quinker Enterprises is executing the bridge, the work was reportedly nearing completion. The inspection noted that the original river course had been diverted by the department’s technical team, while embankment provisions had not been included in the original DPR. The contractor sought at least three weeks of a “curative period” after completion of the technical works.
The bridge being constructed by M/S P-Mha Tum & Co was also reported to be almost complete, although finishing work had been affected by incessant rains. Road widening work connecting to the bridge was also observed.
At a Hume pipe culvert site under road widening works by M/S JK Constructions, the inspection team reportedly observed the use of third-grade sand for plastering the side-wing protection wall, along with signs of erosion. Several other culverts were also found without side-wing protection, leaving them vulnerable to erosion and damage.
The LLRPO said the observations were not minor construction issues but directly concerned the “structural integrity, longevity and safety” of the road.
It urged the Chief Minister, Minister in charge, Engineer-in-Chief and senior officials of the concerned departments to personally review the status of the project and ensure greater technical supervision, financial commitment and administrative attention.
The organisation also called for Phase-II of the Foothills Road project to resume at the earliest during the dry season and urged the department to issue the work order for the remaining portion.
The LLRPO said the road would improve access to markets for farmers, hospitals and educational institutions, facilitate movement of agricultural produce and strengthen connectivity between villages and commercial centres.
It further said the road would provide Nagaland with a dependable alternative route, reducing dependence on routes through Assam.
“The people of the Lower Range and the Nagas in general have waited long enough. What is required now is not another assurance, but decisive action,” the organisation said, adding that quality and high standards must take precedence over profits and earnings in a public infrastructure project funded by public money.
The LLRPO said it would continue to monitor the implementation of the Foothills Road and seek quality construction, transparency, accountability and timely completion.
