In this handout provided by the NFHRCC, a Hume pipe culvert is seen with visible cracks, reportedly within a month of completion, along the ongoing Foothills Road project under Baghty Division in Wokha district. ((Photo Courtesy: NFHRCC)
Dimapur, March 1 (MExN): The Nagaland Foothills Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC) has expressed concern over what it described as poor workmanship in the ongoing Foothills Road construction under Baghty Division in Wokha district.
In a statement issued through its Media Cell, the NFHRCC held that despite repeated appeals from various quarters for timely completion and strict adherence to quality standards, the contractor firms concerned have allegedly failed to meet expectations.
According to the Committee, work progress in the sector is significantly behind schedule, and the quality of construction has been “dismaying.”
It alleged that some Hume pipe culverts developed cracks within a month of completion, enclosing photographs as evidence to support its claim.
“It is high time the contractor firms and the departmental technical teams take the matter seriously,” the NFHRCC stated.
The Committee further informed that the concerned department had issued a show cause notice on February 4, 2026, directing the contractor firms to submit a representation within seven days explaining the delay in completion and the alleged compromise in workmanship.
Subsequently, on February 7, Minister for PWD (Roads & Bridges), Kaito Aye, personally inspected the site. The Minister reportedly stated that the show cause notice had been issued due to a communication gap.
However, the NFHRCC maintained that the current state of work indicates issues beyond communication lapses, asserting that the visible defects point to substandard execution. It called for the show cause notice to be acted upon and for appropriate action to be initiated against the firms concerned.
The Committee also referred to a public statement made earlier by the Minister that he would take moral responsibility if the project did not meet specifications.
Describing the Foothills Road as a “people’s project,” the NFHRCC highlighted that landowners had parted with their land without compensation and that certain groups had refrained from levying taxes despite financial constraints, in order to facilitate the project.
In this context, it urged the contractor firms -M/s JK Construction and M/s Chabou & Co, to execute the project responsibly and ensure adherence to prescribed standards and timelines.
The Committee further appealed to Chief Minister Dr Neiphiu Rio to impress upon the Nagaland PWD (R&B) to ensure quality assurance and timely completion of the project within the extended period reportedly granted to the contractors.
The allegations and the accompanying photographs could not be independently verified at the time of filing this report.
