Morung Express News
Kohima | March 4
The Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) today witnessed intense discussions over the ongoing Foothills road project, with MLAs Nuklutoshi and Achumbemo Kikon raising concerns about contract allocations, oversight responsibilities, and deviations in road alignment.
Participating in the discussion, Nuklutoshi criticised the way contracts were distributed, comparing it to opening a “Pandora’s box” for fund utilisation.
“Rather than overseeing the road alignment, they are scuffling for contract works,” he stated.
He also questioned the need for the committee to have an undertaking with the contractor when the latter is already in an undertaking with the department.
“Whatever institution it is, be it government or civil society, NGOs, whether recognised or unrecognised committees, there’s a jurisdiction, and everyone should work within that,” he maintained.
Nuklutoshi also questioned the distribution of work into 17 different packages, comparing it to the distribution of biscuits by the Anganwadi centres, and asked if there were no contractors in Nagaland with 150 crore credentials.
Asking for answers and reasons, he further inquired whether all the 17 contractors met the required credentials under the Nagaland Public Works Department (PWD) or if the work was distributed randomly.
Why was the Nagaland Foothills Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC) given works in Mokokchung and Wokha districts when it is a pressure group, not contractors? And why did the alignment in Wokha district go uphill, extending the road by 40 kilometres? Nuklutoshi further wondered.
Meanwhile, Kikon questioned why the Governor’s address omitted any mention of the Foothills road project, when Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio had magnanimously sanctioned Rs 148.50 crore in the last financial year.
“This is no mean achievement, and it is part of the government’s achievement,” he held.
Citing the agreement between the committee and the contractors, Kikon said he was averse to the idea of entering into additional agreements after the contractors had already signed contracts with the government.
Referring to a specific section of the agreement between the Foothill Committee and contractors, he maintained that the Foothill Road Committee was trying to impose its conditions on the government, which he stated was very threatening from the very start of the agreement.
“How can we allow a group of people to usurp the power of the government/department?” Kikon posed.
He also raised concerns over a clause stating that unless the NFHRCC certifies or issues a No Objection Certificate (NOC), payments will not be made to contractors.
“Then, what is the role of the engineers and the chief engineer of the department? There are many unanswered questions,” he remarked.
In reply to a starred question asked by MLA Nyamnyei Konyak and MLA Nuklutoshi, as well as the debate, Minister for PWD Roads & Bridges, G Kaito Aye replied that an allocation of Rs 148.50 crore was made, based on which work orders were issued for 17 works in December 2024.
He also added that the overall physical progress of the Foothill Road is 4.5%, while the overall financial progress remains at 0%.
The contract has been allotted to a government-registered firm capable of executing works worth 100 crore as per the policies and guidelines of the department, he added.
