The Nagaland Foothills Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC) has appealed to Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio to expedite the release of work orders for Phase-II of the Nagaland Foothills Road project before the onset of the monsoon season.
In a statement issued by its Media Cell, the committee acknowledged the Chief Minister’s continued support for the 395.9-km Foothills Road project also referred to as the Nagaland People’s Road which connects Tizit in Mon district to Khelma in Peren district, traversing eight districts and more than 200 villages.
The committee stated that while the two-lane construction under the SASCI loan scheme (Phase-I) is nearing completion, immediate clearance of pending divisions under Phase-II is crucial to prevent further delays, particularly with the approaching monsoon.
The NFHRCC also appreciated PWD (Roads & Bridges) Minister Kaito Aye for personally inspecting road construction sites under Baghty Division in Wokha district on February 7 and setting an extended deadline of March 31, 2026, for completion without compromising quality.
The committee expressed expectation that the contractor firms M/S JK Constructions and M/S Chabou & Co along with the departmental technical supervisory team, adhere strictly to the revised timeline and quality standards.
Further, the committee called upon 40 Bhandari A/C MLA Achumbemo Kikon to uphold his written commitment to personally monitor works under his constituency at Baghty Division. The NFHRCC stated that the MLA had assured that the selected contractor firms possessed adequate credentials and capacity, including the ability to invest resources even in the event of delayed government fund release.
The committee urged him to conduct personal site inspections to ensure quality workmanship and proper use of materials.
The NFHRCC also appealed to the concerned department to immediately secure supply of galvanized steel structures to bridge construction firms under Baghty and Peren divisions and to release requisite funds to enable timely completion of works.
The committee acknowledged contractors who have completed works in Niuland, Tuli, Longleng and Naganimora divisions and expressed hope that upgradation work under Tizit Division would be completed by the extended March 31 deadline.
The Foothills Road project, first initiated in 2013, remains one of Nagaland’s largest connectivity initiatives and is seen as crucial for economic integration across foothill regions of the state.