Doyang bridge construction likely to complete by Feb 2022: NFHRCC

October 18, 2021 60 Views No Comment

Staff Reporter DIMAPUR, OCT 18 (NPN) : Nagaland Foothill Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC) has extended its deadline for completion of the much delayed construction of the Doyang bridge from 2021 and now to February 2022.

NFHRCC convener Supu Jamir informed this to Nagaland Post over phone when asked about the status of the bridge over which much had been said in the recent past with regard to slow pace and huge payments made. Supu said this was the information provided by the contractor.

Out of the total project cost of Rs 28 crore, he said Rs 18 crore had already been released by the State government, while the remaining Rs 10 crore was to be paid. Supu also said that availability of funds was not an issue.

The Doyang bridge, is an important link for the long awaited Trans-Nagaland Expressway, earlier known as Nagaland Foothills Road Project. So far, 70 percent of the work has been completed after 5½ years of construction. Work for the 2-lane RCC beam bridge, located in Liphanyan (Ralan area, Wokha), began in December 2014 with a 33-month completion timeframe.

When contacted, Ralan Area Loth Hoho chairman CS Ovung, who had last visited the Doyang construction site on October 16, said that the current progress of the work was satisfactory. He said that the work may take some time to be completed as two more pillars were yet to be erected.

It may be recalled that the state government on September 10 last, directed the PWD (Works & Housing) department to make the Foothill road pliable even as the State government awaits Centre’s approval to its proposal for declaring the road a national highway or include it under the Bharatmala Pariyojna.

Accordingly, the state government accorded an administrative approval for Rs 20 crore for taking up emergency works, while Rs 10 crore was earmarked for completion of the Doyang bridge near Governor’s Camp during the current financial year. In this regard, the department was also instructed to start the tendering process, etc.

It may also be mentioned that NFHRCC at a consultative meeting held at its base office Dimapur on September 7, 2021 had has resolved to launch phase-wise agitation starting September 13, in the event if the state government failed to give positive response by September 12.

The road was envision as a link to connect Dimapur with Mon by taking the shortest route along the foothills skirting Assam some 50 years ago. However the project which was earlier undertaken by NEC was abandoned during the late 70s and was revived during 2012-13 when the civil society spearheaded by the tribal hohos took up the work and later pressurised the state government to accept it as a priority project.

Source: http://www.nagalandpost.com/doyang-bridge-construction-likely-to-complete-by-feb-2022-nfhrcc/242477.html