• Rs 10 crore earmarked for completion of Doyang Bridge
• W&H dept directed to start the exercise to make road pliable
Kohima, September 10 (MExN): Following pressure from several fronts demanding the completion of the Foothill Road, the Works and Housing (W&H) department, Nagaland on Friday assured that the government is making all efforts to get the Project completed.
While the project related works could not be completed due to the discontinuation of the SPA funds from the Central government, the recent demands and reminders from various quarters seem to have paid off.
In an attempt to address the immediate issue, the department informed that the CM convened a meeting with the Deputy CM and departmental officers on September 10.
After detailed discussion, the department has been directed to start the exercise to make the road pliable, while awaiting the approval of the proposal for declaration as a National Highway or under the Bharatmala Pariyojna, it stated.
Accordingly, the Administrative Approval for an amount of Rs 20 crore has been accorded for taking up emergency works and Rs 10 crore has also been earmarked for the completion of the Doyang Bridge near Governor’s Camp during the current financial year.
The department has also been instructed to start the tendering process, it informed.
‘Govt making all efforts to get Foothill Road Project completed’
In a press release issued on September 10, the department stated that, “The importance of having a road along the foothills of Nagaland is known to everyone. Such a road, apart from convenience of travel, also has the potential to bring about changes in the socio-economic front.”
In this regard, the state government had initiated the proposal for construction of more than 300 km along the foot hill areas of the North Western part of the State encompassing large areas of Mon, Longleng, Mokokchung, Wokha, Dimapur and Peren, it added.
However, as the state government does not have sufficient resources of its own, the proposal was actively taken up for funding at various forums.
Acknowledging that the long felt need to construct a road along the foothill areas of the State is yet to be made operational, the department assured that the state government was, and is committed to see that this is made into reality.
“This commitment also forms part of the Nagaland Vision 2030,” it added.
It further recounted that during 2013-14, the government had tied up funding of Rs 235 crore for the Foothill connectivity covering a distance of 342 km through the Special Plan Assistance (SPA).
Accordingly, works were taken up as per the budget allocation of Rs 4000 lakh during 2013-14 and Rs 2700 lakh during 2014-15, totaling to Rs 6700 lakh (Rs 67cr). However, the SPA funding was discontinued by the Government of India (GoI) from 2015-16 onwards, due to which all items of work projected in the proposal could not be taken up, the department stated.
It informed that the state government has been continuously pursuing with the Central Government for release of the balance funds under the SPA so that the works are completed. During 2014-15, the state government submitted the proposal to the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways (MoRTH) for declaration of Foothill road as National Highway.
While the declaration of new National Highways is yet to be finalized, the proposal was again taken up with the Union Minister, Road Transport and Highways by the State Chief Minister, on January 19, 2021 for taking up the project under Bharatmala Pariyojna project on priority.
The CM has also personally met the Union Minister on the matter, and has also taken up the issue with the Prime Minister of India on September 6, 2021 for consideration.
“As can be seen, the Government is making all efforts to get the Project completed,” the department informed.
