Morung Express News
Kohima / February 12
THE MUCH hyped Rs 400 Crore 4 lane package for National Highway 39 is likely to soar in amount by another Rs 300- 400 Crore, when the actual implementation work begins, according to an official source.
Even after the lapse of 2 years the package could not be launched as promised by former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpyee, who brought the promise with him during his visit to the state in October 2003. The survey has been completed and the project report is under preparation.
The project would be implemented by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), New Delhi, and the State government has nothing to do with it, said Chief Engineer (Housing), N. Chelie who is also taking charge of Roads & Bridges. MC firm based in Hydrabad has done complete survey for the NH 39 between Dimapur and Kohima, while CES firm of New Delhi will carry out survey works beyond Kohima.
The survey has been completed and the final project report is under preparation by the NHAI. However, there are still some practical difficulties which are delaying the work. One difficulty is that when the implementation work kick starts it will lead to closure of the Highway in some places.
Chelie also said that the project cost is Rs 400 crore as announced by the then Prime Minister, but it may even cross eight hundred crore, when the whole scheme is implemented. The Chief Engineer (Housing), talking to The Morung Express said that the proposed 4 lane National Highway 39 project will be implemented along the present route. “The survey is conducted only for the present route. There is no proposal for diversion to other route”, said Chelie.
Many people have been speculating that the proposed 4 lane NH-39 project will encounter numerous obstacles. People have been unreservedly discussing the land compensation problem apart from usual topographical hurdles and soil instability.
Some official sources said that the proposed 4 lane will in all likelihood not follow the present route, citing soil instability, rugged terrain, land ownership problem etc. It is likely that the project, when implemented, will pass through Kohima via Niuland- Wokha. Other official sources also said that the survey to implement the package via Niuland road has been carried and the initial works have begun.
Further, it was said that this is not only because of the loose soil and steep terrain, but the present Highway has very little space for expansion, especially in the Kohima town area.
However, the Chief Engineer denied any such plan of diversion and said that the survey conducted so far is only for the present route. Project reports will encompass even the provision for land compensation, he added.
