More land required for making Pagala Pahar stretch of NH 29 safer: NHIDCL

•    Have to wait for another spell of rain for opening NH 29

•    NHIDCL given till July 21 for furnishing all necessary info

Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 12

The National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL) said that more land is required for making the Chümoukedima-Jharnapai (Pagala Pahar) stretch of NH 29 safer. Amarendra Narayan Singh, Executive Director (P), RO, Kohima, made the disclosure following a meeting with a Nagaland state government team led the Deputy Chief Minister, TR Zeliang in Chümoukedima. 

Singh said that a proposal will be send, apparently to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), based on proposals recommended by the state government. He however did not disclose the content of the proposals, while only stating that the proposal will be sent “subject to the confirmation of additional land from the state government.”

He added that the NHIDCL has identified 11 hazardous sites on the stretch and a report was supposed to be submitted to the MoRTH on July 10. 

According to him, the NHIDCL has undertaken aerial (drone) survey of the ‘Pagala Pahar’ stretch to be followed by a detailed assessment by an expert committee.  A ‘Committee of Experts,’ constituted by the NHIDCL, had inspected the site on July 6. This committee was directed to submit a report of the site inspection and any record pertaining to the project within 10 days of the site inspection. 

On the use of dynamite on the said stretch, Singh that there is no provision for use of explosives in any of the NHIDCL road projects sanctioned in Nagaland. “We have 32 contracts all across Nagaland state. Dynamic explosion is not provisioned in any of the contract,” he claimed. 

As opposed to all the criticism directed at the NHIDCL, he held that the safety provisions in the DPR (for package 1) were not adequate enough. 

Meanwhile, the commuters have to wait for another spell of monsoon rains before considering the resumption of normal vehicular traffic. While stating that the decision was made at a meeting with the Nagaland Chief Secretary on July 10, he commented, “We don’t want to put lives into danger by just simply opening the road.”

Queried on the safety of the ‘Box cutting’ with vertical cliffs falling in between Jharnapani and Medziphema, he admitted that it is not safe. “We want to demolish the entire structure the moment land is handed over to us. The entire structure is to be completely cut. It is not safe. I agree,” he said.  

Unclear RoW
However, the requirement of additional land was apparently not told in the meeting with the state government team. In a separate interview, the Deputy CM, TR Zeliang, maintained that the NHIDCL should have informed the government if there was any shortfall of Right of Way (RoW). The NPWD Commissioner & Secretary and Deputy Commissioner, Chümoukedima were also present. 

He said, “They did not tell us about the requirement of land. But if that is so, they should write to state government.”  “Unless they inform the state government, the state government will not know whether the ROW marking given to them is enough or not enough,” he added. According to him, there was no report that there was a shortfall of the RoW. The RoW is said to range from 18-24 metre. 

In the meeting, he said that the state government insisted on according top priority to safety during road construction. He maintained that it is incumbent upon contractors to employ the requisite technical expertise for design and engineering as per the needs of the topography and geology. 

Abhinav Shivam, DC, Chümoukedima maintained that the NHIDCL did not respond to the request for technical details and specifications submitted following the joint survey of the Pagala Pahar stretch in March. 

Following the July 4 tragedy, he had also written a letter to the PWD Commissioner & Secretary calling for the formation of a high level technical committee. He informed that a technical committee as requested has been formed but maintained that any action that the government initiates has to be “an informed step.”

The PWD Commissioner & Secretary, Kesonye Yhome added that it would be assumptious to take actions at random and said, “Let us just wait for what the technical committee report has to say and maybe we can think of appropriate action, accordingly. The technical committee was given two weeks to return with a report. 

An NHIDCL official had also blamed the state government for not providing an alternative road. On this, Zeliang said this issue was highlighted in the meeting and the NHIDCL officials were cautioned. He added that the NHIDCL was given till July 21 for furnishing all the necessary information with regard to the 4 lane project. 

The Chümoukedima-Jharpani (pagala pahar) stretch runs approximately 4-5 km.