Reiterates demand for transparency
Dimapur, April 19 (MExN): The Nagaland Foothills Road Co-ordination Committee (NFHRCC) has appealed to Apex Tribal Hohos to initiate dialogue with the State Government at the earliest on matters concerning the Foothills Road project, as discussed during a consultative meeting held on April 14 at Hotel Saramati, Dimapur.
According to the Committee, a proposed phase-wise public agitation scheduled from April 15 was kept in abeyance at the request of 15 Apex Tribal Hohos and Dimapur-based tribal bodies.
In this regard, it urged the apex bodies to facilitate discussions between the Committee and the Government as deliberated during the consultative meeting.
The NFHRCC stated while it appreciate what it termed as “resurgence of the State Government initiatives” upgrade the Foothills Road into a two-lane National Highway, it was a continuation of earlier efforts dating back to 2018–19.
It noted that the project was based on a no-objection certificate (NOC) provided by landowners through Apex Tribal Hohos and the Committee in 2013, followed by surveys and preparation of a Detailed Project Report (DPR) by the State PWD (R&B).
It also noted that, on the Chief Minister’s suggestion, the Committee wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019 through the office of then Governor RN Ravi, as the DPR had already reached the PMO and a National Highway declaration was anticipated. The Committee highlighted the urgency of the project and maintained that the current upgrade proposal is a continuation of earlier efforts.
Reiterating its position, the NFHRCC maintained that the demand for issuance of work orders is “legitimate,” stating that discussions had been held with the PWD (R&B) and assurances were given that the two-lane road with black-topping would be completed by 2027.
It further highlighted that administrative approval of over Rs 430 crore was accorded in March 2024, while additional funding of over Rs 573 crore was proposed to address disparities in allocation identified in the original DPR.
However, the Committee expressed concern that the department had stopped sharing information prior to issuing official administrative approval under the SASCI loan scheme. It asserted that its demand for transparency stems from the objective of ensuring the project’s sustainability and strengthening government performance in road development.
On related developments, the NFHRCC referred to a decision by Dimapur-based Tribal Hohos and the Committee to boycott an April 7 meeting convened by the Deputy Chief Minister (National Highways) in Kohima, citing the Committee’s exclusion from discussions specifically concerning the Foothills Road.
The Committee also clarified that it has not acted parallel to Apex Tribal Hohos since its inception, stating that its initiatives have been consistently endorsed by the apex bodies over the years.
Emphasising the need for collective efforts, the NFHRCC expressed concern over what it termed attempts by certain quarters to undermine the initiative, and sought guidance from Apex Tribal Hohos on the issues raised.
