Stating it to be a long felt need in Mokokchung town, the Ao Senden during the District Development Coordination & Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting on September 21 presented a proposal to the Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha and Chairman, DISHA, Tokheho Yepthomi to help build an overhead pedestrian bridge at the town’s main traffic point.
Ao Senden is learnt to have suggested that, in order to mitigate the various problems caused by the increasing vehicular traffic and pedestrian footfall in the town, it is strongly felt that there has to be an overhead pedestrian footbridge over the Main Police Point which is located in the heart of Mokokchung town.
It is believed that building the proposed pedestrian overpass would not only prevent foot traffic from mixing with vehicle traffic, thereby alleviating congestion in the town, but also complement the landscape of the town.
On September 22, on the sidelines of a press conference at Ao Senden office, the president of the apex body when asked about the MP’s response on the proposal said that he assured to look into it in consultation with the Rajya Sabha MP.
To recap, it may be mentioned here that a similar project was commissioned in the year 2006 followed by another one in the year 2010. However, the project has remained unfinished and abandoned. Two concrete columns that were built years ago, one near NSCB and another towards the Hospital Road, still remain.
As per documents in possession of Mokokchung Times, the project for construction of pedestrian footbridge was commissioned twice, first in 2006 and then again in 2010. It was found that the first sanction was an amount of Rs.17.09 lakhs which was not received. Again, an amount of Rs. 54.73 lakhs was sanctioned for which work order was issued. The project was supposed to be completed within 18 months. Interestingly, it is learnt that the first sanction was made without the technical estimate and the contractor surrendered the work order.
Following this, the work order was awarded to another contractor and a revised estimate was prepared for Rs. 54,73,730. Further, a second revised estimate was prepared amounting to Rs.1,15,48,200 which, presumably, was never approved and the project abandoned resultantly.
As observed by Ao Senden, the overhead pedestrian footbridge in Mokokchung town is a long felt need. The footbridge can be both functional as well as a beautiful work of art and architecture.