6th ENSF Fiesta cum General Conference underway at Mon
DIMAPUR, JULY 26 (MExN): Nagaland Chief Minister TR Zeliang today announced that road connectivity in Eastern Nagaland would be greatly improved since his Government has received the sanction from the Government of India to start several National Highway projects connecting crucial areas in this part of the State with the rest of the country.
In the history of Nagaland Statehood, we have never received as much approval for National Highways as we have received this year and we should make full use of this golden opportunity to make good roads so that our State can prosper, the Chief Minister claimed.
According to a press statement received from Media Cell, CMO, Zeliang, while addressing the 6th Eastern Naga Students’ Federation (ENSF) Fiesta cum General Conference at Mon on Tuesday morning announced a new National Highway NH-702 has been approved by the Government of India connecting Changtonya-Longleng-Longching-Mon-Lapa-Tizit.
Through the intervention of the State Government and NGOs, the Review Petition filed by the GoI in the Supreme Court against the verdict was withdrawn on Saturday, Zeliang informed and added that works should commence any time now.
The Chief Minister said under the Special Accelerated Road Development Project (SARDP) the proposal for a highway connecting Mon town with Tamlu, which was delayed owing to cost escalation has been solved with the Supreme Court appointing a Court Commissioner to monitor the work under revised estimates.
Zeliang also disclosed that the State Government has received approval in principal for Trans -Eastern Highway connecting Mon town and Avankhu in Pherima district and that the GoI has sanctioned an amount of Rs 5 crore for preparation of detailed project report.
Another new National Highway from Bihupar in Assam to Mon town, a distance of 71 kilometres has recently been approved by the GoI and that NHIDCL will prepare DPR and execute the work, the Chief Minister said.
The proposed Nagaland Express Highway from Tizit to Khelma in Peren district is also being taken up under SARDP in phases, he disclosed. Zeliang further announced that a new National Highway from Dimapur to Pangsha via Tsemenyu- Pughoboto- Aghunato and Shamator has also been approved.
And considering that several National Highway projects are being taken up in the Eastern region of the State, the Cabinet has decided to post at Mon of the National Highway Division office with 5 sub divisions to be placed in other parts of the region.
He pointed out that delays in road projects were caused in the past when villagers, citing Article 371 A, claimed ownership of the land and demanded exorbitant rates for compensation. In this, he lauded the efforts of the Konyak Union to get NOCs from all the villages through which the Highways are to pass through and asked for the cooperation of the people.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister also lauded the ENSF for working commendably, not only for the students, but also for the people of the entire Eastern Nagaland.
“They have been actively functioning as an effective watch dog to oversee the functioning of various Government departments and their officers. They have also acted as a powerful pressure group to influence Government’s policies and decisions on many occasions,” Zeliang stated.