A total of 19 issues across various stretches of road were flagged and discussed in detail during a meeting between Deputy Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang, Minister In charge of Planning & Transformation and National Highways, and the NHIDCL, led by Executive Director (P) Kohima, Nagaland. The meeting aimed to review and address issues related to the projects executed by NHIDCL in the state.
Of the 19 issues discussed, 15 were related to land acquisition. The Deputy Chief Minister directed the respective District Administrations to resolve these issues immediately within February and submit an action-taken report.
“This is crucial, as the working season will soon come to a close with the early onset of the monsoon in the region,” Zeliang stated. He further instructed the District Administration to seek the assistance of Gaon Burahs (GBs) and Village Council Chairmen wherever necessary to expedite the resolution of land acquisition issues.
The Deputy Chief Minister also raised concerns over the unsatisfactory slope protection measures along the Dimapur-Kohima 4-Lane road. The contractor, M/s Maccaferri, highlighted that issues with the Right of Way (RoW) had arisen because the NHIDCL office does not have the record of the initial RoW issued in 2013-14. Zeliang directed NHIDCL to contact the NHAI office to locate the records, as NHAI had initially carried out the land acquisition before NHIDCL’s involvement in the state.
In cases where landowners had received damage compensation but were preventing contractors from proceeding with the work, Zeliang instructed the District Administration to issue a final notice for evacuation and demolition.
If the notice period expires without action, the administration was authorized to take whatever measures necessary to demolish the structures and provide clear RoW for contractors to continue work. The Deputy Chief Minister emphasized that the majority of the people should not suffer due to the vested interests of a few, as good road connectivity is vital for the state’s development in all aspects.
The road projects discussed in the meeting included: Peren-Dimapur – Pkg-II & V, Dimapur-Kohima – Pkg-I, II & III, Kohima Bypass – Pkg-I, II, III & IV, Kohima-Jessami – Pkg-II, III, IV & V, and Akhegwo to Avangkhu – Pkg-I & II.
The Deputy Chief Minister instructed the Executive Director (P) Kohima to coordinate with his office and finalize the National Highways tour program under NHIDCL at the earliest.
The Deputy Commissioner of Chumukedima, Phek and Meluri, ADC Jalukie representing DC Office Peren and Revenue Officer from DC Office Kohima were also in attendance.
