Principal Secretary & Development Commissioner Y Kikheto Sema along with officials and contractors inspecting the Dikhu Bridge-Amguri Road project in Mokokchung district.
MOKOKCHUNG, OCTOBER 6 (MExN): Principal Secretary and Development Commissioner, Planning & Transformation Department, Y Kikheto Sema inspected key development projects in Mokokchung on October 5, with landslides observed at three locations along the Dikhu Bridge-Amguri Road.
The 17.155-km road, constructed under the North East Special Infrastructure Development Scheme (NESIDS) (Roads), was sanctioned on August 5, 2019 at a cost of Rs 59.77 crore. The full sanctioned amount was released by the Ministry of DoNER, while the project was executed by M/s TTC_ANK_JV. According to Sema, the road was completed on May 13, 2025, achieving "100% physical and financial progress", and is currently under maintenance until May 2029.
After inspecting the entire stretch, Sema found the workmanship satisfactory but directed the contractor to clear the landslides during the working season. He also directed the construction of suitable retaining structures using rock boulders and wire mesh to strengthen the affected stretches.
Sema also inspected the Library-cum-Museum at Ungma, constructed under the North Eastern Council (NEC). The project was sanctioned in April 2017 at a cost of Rs 4.21 crore and completed in November 2024. He stated that NEC has released Rs 3.55 crore, while the State share of Rs 42.07 lakh has also been released and all liabilities cleared. A claim of Rs 12.55 lakh towards GST reimbursement is currently under consideration in the Finance Department, he said.
Regarding the additional requirement of Rs 63.30 lakh for library resources, museum display units, furnishing and other installations, Sema said the proposal recommended by the State Level Empowered Committee (SLEC) has been submitted to NEC for consideration. If approved, he said the additional funding should be used to develop the interiors with "a strong traditional character" reflecting the heritage, architecture and cultural identity of the area.
He said the facility should serve the people, particularly students from Ungma and beyond, and called for community participation in its maintenance and sustainability. Describing Ungma as "one of the iconic villages of Nagaland", Sema also encouraged the village council to extend its community and charitable initiatives to comparatively less-developed communities and villages beyond Ungma.
The Planning & Transformation Department, the State's nodal department for the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (MDoNER) and NEC, has been directed by the Ministry to inspect projects across all districts to ensure quality works, proper implementation and timely completion. Mokokchung is the first district covered under the inspection initiative, following which important projects in other districts will also be inspected, according to the department.
Sema further stated that Mokokchung is the top-performing district in Nagaland in terms of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) performance and ranks fourth among 121 districts in the North Eastern States.
