Our Correspondent Pughoboto | October 29 Minister for PWD (R&B), Y Vikheho Swu today inaugurated the much awaited Bailey Bridge, spanning 60 feet, over Khucho river on the road to Satakha-Chishilimi under Pughoboto sub-division in Zunheboto district. In his inaugural address, Swu emphasised on the need for reforming the Public Works Department’s system of functioning, particularly the streamlining and management of labour deployment. Structuring the deployment of superintendent engineers and labour management will be completed by next year, he said, while adding that labourers of the Department will be paid monthly salary and their performance checked. Swu informed that Rs. 300 crore is required annually for maintenance of roads in the State. However, presently, the State has been receiving only Rs. 40 crore which makes it difficult to maintain all roads. He said that Nagaland Road Maintenance policy will be brought out by next year and there will be subsequent improvement in the condition of roads. Swu also announced that Pughoboto Sub-division will have a full-fledged PWD (R&B) Executive Engineer office which will be inaugurated on November 16 as approved by the State Cabinet. Centre has declared five highways and five more agreed in principle while ‘economic uplift highway’ from Showuba-Niuland-Ghatashi-Pughoboto-Zunheboto-Shamatore-Pangsha will be taken up very shortly. Clarifying on public accusation that there is no development in the State for past few years, he said that presently Nagaland is suffering because the Central government, since 2014, has removed the special category status, because of which the special funding from Centre has been cut. In this, the Minister emphasised the need for Nagaland State to have its own revenue and therefore appealed the people to sincerely pay electricity, water and other bills and taxes to the government so that proper development can be taken up. He added that in the past, the State Government used to take huge loans and created debts but the present government under TR Zeliang has not been taking any credit and trying to overcome deficit. Swu appreciated the concern of the two villages (Khukiye-Lukhayi and Chishilimi) in allowing the government to carry forward development in the area without any hindrance. He lauded contractor M/S East West Construction, Dimapur for completing the bridge in record time of 13 months even as the scheduled time was 36 months. He also said that three other bridges are being undertaken by other contractors in Satakha, Dimapur and Phek. Engineer-in-Chief, Khupi Natso in a brief address, lauded the Minister for taking the initiative for all round infrastructure development in the Constituency in particular and the District and State in general. He also asserted that the engineers of the PWD are fully behind him in carrying forward road projects in the State.
