Deputy Commissioner Kohima, B Henok Buchem, NCS, led a high-level site inspection of the North-East Gas Grid (NEGG) Dimapur–Imphal Pipeline Project across various locations in Kohima district on September 23. The inspection was attended by Revenue Officer Kohima Kevingoto Kulnu, SDO Sechü-Zubza Imliakum Sanglir, General Manager of Indradhanush Gas Grid Limited (IGGL), officials from IGGL and the Department of Geology and Mining, DPRO Kohima, and contractors.
IGGL officials informed the team that approximately 40% of the work in Nagaland is expected to be completed by December 2025, while the overall project deadline has been revised to March 2027. Contractors highlighted challenges in executing the work, including difficult terrain and environmental factors. Minor disputes between NHIDCL and IGGL were resolved on-site during the inspection.
Citing unstable geology and local apprehensions, the DC stressed that the pipeline must be laid on the hillside of the NH right-of-way and cautioned that work should not be halted due to monsoon, as Kohima experiences rainfall throughout the year. He expressed dissatisfaction over slow progress and insufficient personnel deployment, urging contractors to immediately deploy additional teams for demarcation and pipeline laying. The DC set a deadline of October 31, 2025, for demarcation of re-route alignment and emphasized timely completion of the NH stretch where ROU is available.
The inspection also included briefings on technical processes, such as pipe stringing, welding, copper slag blasting and coating, laying of warning mesh, cathodic protection, and trenching activities. The DC called on contractors to devise alternative strategies for the rainy season while assuring full support from the district administration.
IGGL officials thanked the DC and his team for the review, emphasizing the importance of monitoring to ensure project efficiency. The North-East Gas Grid Project, conceived under the Hydrocarbon Vision 2030 for Northeast India, aims to enhance energy infrastructure and connectivity across the region.
