Our Correspondent
Kohima | February 24
The political parties of Nagaland in their respective manifesto for February 27 polls have promised to ensure good roads in the state.
Naga People’s Front (NPF) stated that the foremost priority of the government has been to provide good roads to the people.
It announced to take up various steps such as: establish a Trans-Border National Highway along Indo-Myanmar covering Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur and Mizoram, improvement of all National Highways and state highways and create inter district connectivity, ensuring quality of works without any bias in allotment of works, making maintenance of roads for 4-5 years and developing all Eastern Naga areas and to bring them at par with the rest of the state through prioritized plan and integrated development.
Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP) promised that good quality and safe roads will be given top most priority, stating “The present state of deplorable roads needs immediate attention.”
It stated that Dimapur- Kohima four lane highway projects will be completed within a given time frame, adding that all district headquarters will be connected through good quality two-lane highways.
Others listed in the manifesto include PMGSY to be effectively and strictly monitored, traffic congestion in urban areas to be streamlined by constructing overpasses and bypasses, Kohima and Dimapur by-pass road to be undertaken on priority and facilitate India’s Act East policy undertaking road connectivity projects to the international boundary via Myanmar and into the ASEAN countries.
National People’s Party (NPP) Nagaland promised to work earnestly for improvement of the roads on a war footing. The party said it also plans to initiate projects of bordering road from Tizit to Pangsa International Trade Centre via Longwa International Trade Centre via Aboi, Monyakshu, Noklak and Pangsa International Trade Centre to Avakhu International Trade Centre via Noku, Wazuku.
“The party will also pressurize the National Highways Authority of India and the Border Roads Organization to early completion of the four–lane highway and also to repair and maintain the existing border roads in the state so that commuters across the state would not have to suffer unduly,” it stated.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Nagaland state unit stated that it is the responsibility of the government to see that a large network of all-weather road is created to connect all the habituated settlements.
It listed other areas – build all weather roads connecting intra-villages and with state and national highways, fully equip emergency road task force to clear landslides and repair roads drains etc within 24 hours, ensure that all the central government schemes for constructing and maintaining roads are implemented thoroughly within the stipulated time and engage latest technologies in road construction and maintenance.
“There is no road fit to be travelled. It is a matter of shame that Nagaland ranks top for worst road in the country,” stated the manifesto of Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee.
It promised that Congress government shall provide all-weather roads connected to all district HQs.
Stating that road congestion especially in Kohima and Dimapur and the resultant loss of working hours are major concern, it said that Congress government shall endeavour to ease traffic problems at the earliest.
JD (U) Nagaland stated that the party will lay emphasis on efficient maintenance of the existing roads and taking up construction of new roads wherever relevant.
Capable local contractors will be given preference by relaxing the qualifying norms for such works where they are not qualified without compromising the efficiency of the work quality, it added.
