[dropcap]W[/dropcap]ith much persistence, patience, ire and even exasperation, the vista of a long needed foothill road from Dimapur to Tizit in Mon district via Wokha, and Mokokchung Districts is now in the process of coming to fruition. The proposed 250 km long foothill road would reduce by 30 kms the road via Mariani-Amguri in Assam which has so far become the bane of over 2,000 daily Naga travelers and so would ensure security for our citizens within our very own State.The financial implications due to imports of consumer goods et al have already been discussed in our editorial 0f August 03, 2013 and so needs no repetition. What has compounded the matter as of right now is the rearing of the head of a “connectivity road” into the bargain.
When the issue of a foothill road was on the burner awaiting the anvil, no one bothered to say or do anything about it. But now that the foothill road has become a distinct possibility, some sections have counter-proposed a connectivity road which would be 339 kms and 159 kms longer than the 280 kms existing via Mariani-Amguri, connecting Dimapur to Mon district.
The Nagaland Foothill Road Construction Committee (NFRCC) along with leaders of ten Naga tribes whose members have settled in and around Dimapur and along the proposed foothill road have on August 6 resolved to stick to its version of road mapping in connection with the proposed constuructionof connectivity road stretching from Dimapur to Tizit. These ten tribes are Ao, Sumi, Lotha, Phom, Konyak, Sangtam, Chang, Khaimiungan. Yinchunger, and Rengma.
Their decision was taken in a meeting among NFRCC members, tribal leaders and officials from the department of Roads and Bridges. The meeting also decided that certain inevitable “modifications” to the committee’s version of road mapping would be allowed. The committee had also rejected a proposal of the Roads and bridges department and cutting across a different route. Its contention was that its version was within the same parameters of one of the alternate routes suggested by officials of the R & B department.
The route chosen by the NFRCC and also included by in the list of suggestions made by the R&B had listed eight different routes for the NFRCC and the State Government to choose from. The route finally chosen by the NFRCC is 339 kms long. The proposed road connectivity would be start from Tizit-Naginimora-Tuli-Chukitong Yajang’-Lomgtho (Moayimti)-Sumito-Wozhu-Champang-Yimpang-Bhandari-Governor’s Camp (Liphiyang)-Ralan (Old)-Rengmapani-Niuland-Dimapur.
In any government venture aimed at benefiting the people as a whole, we time and again experienced that projects which begin with a bang tend to fizzle out. In this case, however, the encouraging sign is that the NEFRCC has assured that there would be no demand for land compensation by the land owners and “taxation” from the undergrounds. This in itself is an encouraging sign and perhaps our people should learn to contribute whatever is reasonable in the interest of the State and the people as a whole.
The NFRCC was, however, firm that the State government should take its consent before issuing tenders in connection with the construction road connectivity. It may be here mentioned that the earlier 250 kms envisaged took the direct path for convenience. However, in a deeper sense, it is right and proper that such a proposed road should also cover as many places a possible, This would also contribute to the local economy—all within Nagaland.
All said and done, however, is the over-riding concern that this project hopefully expected will not fall again into the pit of corruption and dilly-dallying which would also affect the lives of our Naga citizens. Let us pray and hope it succeeds—for a change.
