Submits new timelines of work to HC Kohima Bench
Morung Express News
Dimapur/Kohima | December 4
The contractor of the ongoing the ongoing National Highway (NH)-2 road construction project from Kohima-Mao Gate on December 2 submitted a new timeline to Gauhati High Court, reiterating to complete the project March 2023.
Making a personal appearance as directed by the Court on November 28, the Managing Director, Fortune Group (Contractor) submitted new timelines of work to the Division Bench comprising of Justices Songkhupchung Serto and Justice Devashis Baruah.
Regarding a contempt notice issued by the Court on November 17, the Managing Director also tendered “unqualified apology” for the failure to keep commitments and promises made earlier.
Accordingly, as per the Court’s order, the Contractor promised to complete black-topping of 5 Kms between chainage 187+600 to 193+240 within ten days from December 2.
Further, the Bench was assured that works for conversion from Sub-Grade to BC (Bituminous Concrete) on around 14 kilometre stretch from chainage 200+600 to 212+334 and 193+240 to 195+240 would be completed by March 2023 with targets for each month (See table).
The Contractor also promised to complete conversion of DBM (Dense Bituminous Macadam) to BC for 5 km beginning from chainage 195+240 to 200+600 by March 2023.
Meanwhile, regarding the Rs 10 lakh fine imposed on the contractor by the Court on November 17 for “wilful disobedience of directives and negligence, commitment failures,” among others, the former informed that the amount has been deposited in the account of HC Registry.
It must be noted here that on November 17, the Court directed the Engineer-in-Chief, National Highway to assess the amount spent by the some organisations undertaking voluntary repair of works along the stretch and reimburse the same out of Rs 10 lakh and deposit the remaining into account of the Nagaland State Legal Services Authority for spreading legal awareness.
To this end, the Additional Advocate General (AAG) Nagaland informed that the Chief Engineer, NPWD (National Highway) has submitted the expenses incurred by the organisations and the same has been given to the Registry.
Meanwhile, on Friday, both the Contractor and the Authority Engineer also submitted that there has been 16.31% progress in the execution of the work, though the latter stated that the progress was extremely slow.
“If the work has to be completed as per the timelines, the Contractor has to increase the manpower, machineries and have enough stock of the required materials,” the Authority Engineer submitted.
Accordingly, the Bench directed the Contractor to increase the workforce including the number of machineries and also to keep enough stock of the required materials so that the work progresses without any interruption.
It further directed the Contractor to work on “war footing and keep up the timelines as promised,” while the NHIDCL, the Authority Engineer was tasked to monitor work progress.
Regarding the 2 km under State NPWD, the AAG Nagaland was directed to come with instructions as to when the work would be completed.
Listing the next hearing of the suo moto Public Interest Litigation on December 14, the Bench directed everyone, including the Contractor to appear once again with reports in the form of affidavit.
