Foothills Road project: No additional agreements required with third parties, asserts Nagaland Govt

•    Says fully committed to ensuring timely completion
•    Project is 100% Government-funded

Kohima, February 24 (MExN): Amid the controversy over the commencement of Foothills Road construction, the Nagaland Government asserted today that there is no requirement for contractors to enter into additional agreements with third parties, including the Nagaland Foothill Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC).

All necessary terms and conditions, including quality specifications, timelines, and contractor obligations, are clearly outlined in the official Contract Agreement between the PWD (R&B) Department and contractors, it pointed out.

Instead, as a 100% government-funded project, the State Government maintained that it is committed to ensuring the timely completion of the Foothill Road with quality workmanship.

Defaulting contractors who fail to comply with the prescribed specifications and quality benchmarks would be sternly dealt with by the Government based on the contract agreements, maintained a press statement issued by Kesonyu Yhome, Commissioner & Secretary, Nagaland Department of Works & Housing.

Thus, while respecting the ‘noble intention’ of the NFHRCC to maintain quality and ensure timely completion, the statement clarified that, as a project fully funded by the Government, no third-party agreements are mandatory.

No agency should impose its terms on the State Government when the State is fully aware of the urgency and gravity of the matter, it added.

Meanwhile, it further highlighted that, due to limited resources, land compensation has never been paid for road projects undertaken by the PWD Department, except for National Highway projects funded by the Central Government.

The State Government policy has always been to request that communities and citizens contribute to development by donating their land for Right of Way (RoW) projects for this “public” road, it noted.

To this end, it pointed out that the State Government has been consistently maintaining that contractors should start work immediately and that the Department will not take cognizance of work stoppage for any reason.

The entire government machinery has been actively engaged in the project under the leadership of the Minister, PWD (Roads & Bridges), who has held 7–8 rounds of meetings with the NFHRCC and concerned Tribal Hohos to address any apprehension or concern, the statement maintained.

The Department remains committed to maintaining an open dialogue and welcomes suggestions and constructive inputs to ensure the smooth and timely execution of the project, it added.

It urged all parties to directly approach the Department with any issues rather than taking them to the media, which vitiates proper understanding of the subject matter.

The State Government also requested that all stakeholders—local communities, the NFHRCC, and the contractors—extend their full support and cooperation to ensure the immediate commencement and timely completion of this critical project.

With the monsoon season approaching, there is an urgent need to begin work without further delay, it held, adding that the Government remains committed to delivering this project for the benefit of the people of Nagaland.

Foothills road background
Contextualising its assertions of commitment and full funding, the State Government further maintained that it has consistently prioritized the construction of the Foothills Road over the years, with significant allocations of funds to ensure its progress.

These included Rs 40 crore in 2013–14, Rs 27 crore in 2014–15, Rs 30 crore in 2021–22, and an additional Rs 148.50 crore in 2023–24 under the SASCI (Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment) scheme.

These funds have been utilised for key components of the project, including bridge over the River Doyang in Liphayan, formation cutting of unconnected portions, construction of culverts and CD structures, and metaling of certain stretches, it noted.

It further claimed that the State Government has also been actively pursuing central funding for the project.

Since 2013–14, multiple initiatives have been undertaken, including proposals to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MORTH), resulting in MORTH giving approval for the preparation of the Feasibility Study and DPR on September 5, 2026, and appointing “C.E. Testing Company” on March 30, 2017, to carry out the work, it pointed out.

The State Government had also requested the declaration of the alignment as a National Highway in 2019, proposed for the road to be taken up by NHIDCL in 2022–23, and submitted a proposal to the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council under the PM Gati Shakti initiative, it added.

While acknowledging and appreciating the relentless efforts undertaken by the concerned Tribal Hohos and the NFHRCC in particular for advocating and fully backing the construction of the Foothills Road over the years, it also noted that there has been a delay in this project taking off, as no funding has been forthcoming from the Government of India under any scheme despite the State’s persistent efforts.

Besides, as the alignment in the foothills is close to Assam and there were apprehensions raised by the neighbouring State on earlier occasions, it said.

However, it asserted that with the ‘fervent’ initiative of the State Government with the Assam Government, relations have further improved and conditions have become more favorable to commence the work on the ground.

In July 2024, exhibiting the State Government’s “solid resolve,” Rs. 148.50 crore was released under SASCI 2023–24 to take up critical stretches of the road, including Dimapur to Merapani, connectivity to Rengmapani village, Tuli Division and Mon Division stretch, and a bridge in Peren district, it highlighted.

Work orders for these stretches were issued to contractors in December 2024 for two-lane road construction, it added.
It must be noted here that Foothills Road construction work in Bhandari began on February 21 amidst opposition by the NFHRCC and others over the signing of agreements with contractors.

The next day, the NFHRCC stated that the committee, along with the 12 tribal hohos that support it, does not recognize the launch. The NFHRCC stated that it would take further measures in the coming days.