NFHRCC inspection team with PWD (Roads & Bridges) engineers on the modular galvanised steel 2-lane bridge over the Dadi River, which falls on the Niuland segment of the Nagaland Foothills Road on November 22. (Morung Photo)
Morung Express News
Dimapur | November 22
Construction on the Niuland segment of the Nagaland Foothills Road is progressing smoothly, and on the verge of completion. The Nagaland Foothills Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC) said it is satisfied with the work on the 8.6 km stretch, which culminates at Hovukhu village bordering the Ralan area in Wokha district.
An NFHRCC team inspected the Niuland segment on November 22. The team leader, Mar Lemtur said they “are satisfied with the work so far carried out by the contractor.” According to him, 80-85 percent of the works as specified in the work order is complete.
The scope of the work, taken up by the contractor— N Chisho Swu & Sons, also include one modular galvanised steel 2-lane bridge over the Dadi river, two composite retaining walls, three retaining walls, and toe wall, besides soiling works.
The Nagaland Foothills Road stretches 395 km from Khelma in Peren to Tizit in Mon. Lemtur informed that only around 8.5 km of fresh earth cutting is required in the Mokokchung sector.
He asserted that the Foothills Road is of great economic importance to Nagaland, and urged the PWD (R&B), as well as the contractor, to expedite the work to meet the December 18, 2025 deadline.
If the contractors are unable to meet the December 18 deadline, he said that the Department will have to impose the terms and conditions as entered in the contract.
Since inception, he said that the support of the tribal hohos has sustained the NFHRCC. “We are especially grateful to the landowners for their cooperation,” he said, while reminding that the project has incurred no land compensation as agreed when the movement for the Foothills Road started in 2013. “In line with this, landowners in the Nuiland segment, and in the other districts, have not demanded compensation,” he said.
The PWD (R&B) engineers informed that more than 96 percent of laying the Granular Sub Base (GSB), or ‘soiling’ in layperson’s terminology, was complete. Black-topping is not included in the scope of work.
The steel bridge, spanning 36.58 m with a rated load capacity of upto 70 metric tons, was also 88 percent complete. The cost of the bridge came to around Rs 4.57 crores. Construction of the bridge started on December 21, 2024.
