Mokokchung, 13 July (MTNews): The Western Sumi Hoho (WSH) on Thursday said that public frustration and disappointment on the ongoing road work that spans 21.89 kilometers from 4th Mile to Niuland, which has not been completed despite passing the allotted time frame, is rising. The work started last year in April but has not yet been completed even after more than a year has passed, WSH said.
The WSH said in a press release received here that, on July 13, it had a joint meeting at Hozukhe Council Hall with the contractor’s representative, firm representatives, Executive Engineer – PWD Department, Administration and Ato Area GBs.
The Executive Engineer gave the group a briefing on the project’s precise specification during the meeting, WSH said. “He added that although the contractor had been granted an extension of time (E.o.T.) and a bill amount of 16 crores out of 24.38 crores had already been released, the construction was not progressing as expected,” it added.
“Additionally, he stated that the PWD Chief Engineer’s office will no longer accept Extensions of Time (E.o.T. ), and that the work should be finished by the end of August 2023, which is the most recent E.o.T.,” the WSH press note said.
Further, it also said that the Ato Area GBs expressed their concern with the “workmanship’s poor quality and delayed pace.” They said that dust pollution created by the incomplete road works for such a long period is causing health problems for the people of the area. They claimed that despite providing the contractor with all of their benevolent services and cooperation in an effort to complete the project as soon as possible while keeping in mind that this road belongs to all Nagas in general, the contractor frequently only provided them with empty promises, which ultimately caused them to lose their patience, it said.
“After much debate and discussion, it was decided that the company to which the contract was granted should execute the aforementioned road project in accordance with the most recent E.o.T (Extension of Time),” WSH said.
The WSH also has assigned Ato Area GBs to oversee the construction work and report to WSH office regarding any subsequent lapses on the part of the firm in order to ensure that the quality and craftsmanship were not compromised. Finally, it was decided that the WSH would ask the government for additional necessary measures in this regard and will take its own appropriate action if the project in question was not completed on time.