JAC member says things moving in the right direction
Morung Express News
Dimapur | August 24
The 15-day deadline stipulated by the Joint Action Committee (JAC) NH 129A Peren Town to the NHIDCL expired on August 24. The JAC, on August 9, had temporarily lifted the blockading of NH 129A at Tepuiki Bridge, where the NH 129A crosses into Nagaland from Manipur. The blockading of the highway was a demonstration of public resentment against what was alleged to be the NHIDCL arbitrarily withdrawing work on the Peren town portion of the 179 km long NH 129A Maram-Dimapur 2-lane project. The Peren town portion, running 2.8 km, remains untouched since the foundation stone for the highway was laid in 2015.
On August 9, the NHIDCL disclosed at a press conference in Peren that the Peren town portion of the project was “de-scoped” in May, this year, citing safety and cost-benefit issues. The NHIDCL proposed a fresh revised estimate, to complete work on the Peren town stretch as a project independent of the broader NH 129A Maram-Dimapur 2-lane project. It also assured the JAC of pursuing the proposal with Delhi.
In response to the assurance, the JAC temporarily lifted the blockade, while maintaining that it will be only for 15 days within which the NHIDCL must assure its commitment to complete the Peren town portion.
As per information received on August 24, things were reportedly moving in the right direction and that the JAC will not resume the blockade. A member of the JAC informed that an NHIDCL technical team visited Peren town on August 23. The person did not divulge the purpose of the visit, while only stating that the JAC met the NHIDCL today.
“Technical and Design team from the Centre (NHIDCL) came yesterday and we had a meeting (on August 24) with them. Things are moving at the right direction,” he said. The team subsequently proceeded to the NHIDCL Regional Office in Kohima.
