Our Correspondent
Kohima | June 21
Minister for PWD (Roads & Bridges) Y. Vikheho Swu today stressed on the need to have a digitized road map for which discussion is going on at the government level.
“We want to have a digitize road map,” he said adding that pressing of a button would show different kinds of roads and bridges in the state.
“I think we have come to a stage where we need to have such kind of facility and information system,” he said while addressing the seminar cum workshop on “Application of new materials in the infrastructure development” here at Hotel de Oriental Grand.
He said every R&B division in Nagaland should have on their finger tips the total length of roads in their respective jurisdiction and also other road construction related activities.
Challenging the engineers to pull up their socks on the line of management, he regretted that management on the part of what had been built and what we have is one area the R&B Department has failed in.
He also called for improvement of the Detailed Project Reports.
Stressing on the need to maintain old roads and building, he expressed the need to construct new roads for four years and on the fifth year go back to strengthening and re-building the old roads. He said if such is taken into consideration, then within a span of 5 to 10 years the state’s roads would improve tremendously.
Swu also said that in order to maintain efficient use of manpower, work charge workers should be paid on monthly basis. He informed that the 14th Finance Commission has already understood the situation and agreed to the abnormal use of money spent on salary at 65 %. He said this will allow payment to W/C labour salary on monthly basis.
The Minister meanwhile informed that the department is in the process of procuring 24 excavators for all 24 divisions in the state. Swu also informed that a new road project- capital bypass road from Meriema to Niuland has been approved by the ministry and the work order is expected to be out soon.
Er. Khupi Natso, Engineer- in- Chief PWD Nagaland meanwhile lamented that road developments in the state do not seem to last one full monsoon season. “This is not only because of bad workmanship provided by the contractors but also compound with unavailability of required quality road materials for base and sub-base courses,” he said.
He added that more than 70% of the state’s road length does not have a proper quarry and when it is available the quality does not pass the required impact tests.
The seminar also witnessed presentations on the North East from Tenaci Engineering Pvt Ltd, and was attended by officials of Alom Poly Extrusions Ltd.
