Road subsidence ahead

What could have been a remarkable and historic event turned sour after controversy stoked the the foot hill road project for reasons only understood by those involved. The origins of the ambitious foot hill road project dates back to 1974 when the North Eastern Council (NEC) approved funding to construct a 256-kilometer road linking Dimapur with Tizit through five districts. Tragically, this project was derailed due to objections from the Assam government, which claimed that certain road sections would infringe on Assam’s territory. This political deadlock effectively stalled the project, leaving it to languish for decades. It was only in 2012 that some tribe leaders decided to revive the abandoned road project under the banner of Foot Hill Road Co-Ordination Committee (FHRCC). Therefore, gratitude must go to the FHRCC now renamed as Nagaland Foothill Road Co-Ordination Committee (NFHRCC) for reviving the project. The proposed highway aims to dramatically reduce travel time and distances between Dimapur-the commercial hub of Nagaland-and key districts like Mokokchung, Longleng, Tuensang, Wokha, Zunheboto, and Kiphire. This critical infrastructure is poised to serve as a vital economic artery, connecting resource-rich areas with markets and fostering development. What began as a 256-kilometer road has now expanded to a projected length of over 395 kilometers-a staggering increase of 139 kilometers compared to the original blueprint. Nagaland’s vast reserves of oil, natural gas, coal, limestone, and chromite located at various districts stand to benefit immensely from improved transportation networks for carriage of these resources. NFHRCC did the spadework in obtaining funding when it first met the state governor to brief him about the vital project. The latter intervened and wrote to the Ministry of Road Transport Highways (MoRTH) along with the state’s Rajya Sabha MP Phangnon. This led to meeting being held between NFHRCC with the union minister of MoRTH on December 17,2023. The minister then okayed the project and for which funds were allotted under Special Assistance to State for Capital Investment(SASCI). Following the tendering process, on December 14, 2024 the PWD (R & B) department issued 17 work orders to the tune of Rs. 148.5 Crore as 1st Phase under SASCI to 14 firms. However, the road project hit its first road block over the issue of signing pre-work agreement with NFHRCC. The NFHRCC stand was that as the committee comprising of all tribes who donated the land for the project including those whose districts were not covered and also decision of Naga political groups to not collect tax, the project merited being extraordinary. Based on this premise, NFHRCC insisted that all contractors shall have to sign an agreement with it to ensure that the construction was of the highest standard and their completion on schedule. While parleys were on with seven firms yet to sign the agreement, two firms steadfastly refused to do so. Matter went to a head when NFHRCC claimed that two firms on February 21, launched the construction purportedly under the chairmanship of the MLA without consultation with the PWD(W&H) or knowledge of the NFHRCC. The ongoing controversy over the road construction was unwarranted and most unfortunate. It has only added an element of misunderstanding and disharmony which could evolve into a confrontation while prudence and consultations could have made a huge difference.