A file photo of ongoing construction of Doyang bridge, a key link in the long awaited Trans-Nagaland Expressway – erstwhile known as the Nagaland Foothills Road Project. The bridge is said to be 70 percent complete after 5 and half years of construction. (File Photo: For Representational Purposes Only)
Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 11
The Doyang bridge, a key link in the long awaited Trans-Nagaland Expressway – erstwhile known as the Nagaland Foothills Road Project – is said to be 70 percent complete after 5 and half years of construction. The construction of the 2-lane RCC beam bridge, located in Liphanyan (Ralan area, Wokha), had started in December 2014 with a 33-month completion timeframe.
The Nagaland Foothills Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC) informed on July 11 that the status of the bridge was as per the “technical report” of the Nagaland PWD (Roads & Bridges).
While informing that the bridge was last inspected on July 8, the NFHRCC said that “major work” was stalled since the lockdown in March. It though expressed optimism that the pending portion would be completed by the next “working season” as the monsoon subsides.
The original cost estimate of the bridge was 24cr, which was later revised to Rs 28cr.
While the construction of the bridge drags on, (formation) earth-cutting in two portions remains stalled too. A 3-km stretch in Longleng and another 5 km in the Niuland-Ralan sector remain uncut for a want of Rs 11cr since August 2016.
The total amount sanctioned for the original Nagaland Foothills Road Project by the Nagaland state government stands at around Rs 70cr.
A proposal to connect Dimapur with Mon by a road snaking along the foothills skirting Assam was pitched some 50 years ago. It did not take off until 2012-13 when the civil society spearheaded by the tribal hohos pressured the state government into relenting.
‘Assam and Karbi-Anglong bandhs’ was one of the main motivating factors that led to the rallying of the tribal hohos for the long proposed foothills road and the state government finally sanctioning the project in 2013. The earth-breaking ceremony happened in December of the same year.
Despite the government sanction, the project remains in a state of limbo after 5 and half years. In between, it was rechristened the Trans-Nagaland Expressway with the state government proposing to extend it till Khelma in Peren. The original foothills road, as proposed in 2013, ran a length of approximately 250km. With the inclusion of Khelma, it would run some 400km from Tizit (Mon) to Khelma (Peren).
In September 2018, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio had sought the assistance of the Ministry of Road Transport & Highways for funding the stalled project. There was no news after that.
This project, when complete, will make up for the non-existent all-weather roads connecting the districts without having to cross into Assam.
