Dimapur, February 11 (MExN): The Governor of Nagaland K Sankaranarayanan who has identified improvement of roads in the State as one of the key priority areas during President’s Rule, appears to be on track to fulfill his commitment to the people of the State. According to an official news bulletin, in view of the deplorable state of National Highway 39 connecting Kohima with Dimapur, the Governor had personally written to Union Minister of State for Defence M.M. Pallan Raju to direct the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) to undertake improvement of the Dimapur-Kohima National Highway as also the State Highway from Mariani to Mokokchung and Zunheboto, which is maintained by the BRO.
Accordingly, a reply has been received from the Union Minister of State for Defence. The good news is that the Dimapur-Kohima-Mao road is to be four-laned by the Ministry of Surface and Road Transport. It was informed that the BRO has not been undertaking maintenance of the road because of the proposed four-laning of the road. However, in view of the request sent by the State Government under the initiative of the Governor, the ministry has already sanctioned improvement of road quality for NH 39 from Kms 106 to Kms 131 at a cost of Rs. 716.17 lakhs. The work is likely to commence in March 2008.
At the same time, rehabilitation work between Kms 110 to Kms 187 has also been sanctioned by the ministry for Rs. 273.21 lakhs and these works are likely to be completed by March 2008. BRO has also proposed improvement of riding quality of NH from Kms 131 to Kms 168 at a cost of Rs. 1314 lakhs.
The BRO has also pointed out that the major problem of the NH 39 is in the Purana Bazar area, the Lalmati area, the Jotsoma slide area and near Belho Gas Godown area. These have been caused due to excessive rainfall, landslides and sinking of road. The problem has been compounded due to encroachment and illegal quarrying.
For the Mariani-Mokokchung-Zunheboto road, the ministry has informed that re-surfacing work of 77 km of road from Mokokchung-Zunheboto is being completed in a phased manner out of which 41 kms has already been completed and 27 kms will be completed by March 2008. Similarly, maintenance of the whole stretch of Mariani-Mokokchung will be completed by March 2008.
