Foothills Road: NFHRCC seeks transparency

DIMAPUR — The Nagaland Foothills Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC) held an emergency meeting in Dimapur on Monday, during which it adopted several resolutions related to the Trans-Nagaland Expressway project.

In a press release, the committee appreciated the state government, led by Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, for elevating the importance of the Foothills Road project. It also welcomed the government’s initiative to hold further discussions on August 7, which will involve the apex tribal hohos of the districts and the local MLAs representing constituencies through which the Foothills Road passes.

However, it expressed dissatisfaction over the “exclusion of other tribal hohos and the MLAs of the districts and the committee, which has been advocating for the Nagaland economic survival road to various stakeholders.”

Reiterating its longstanding commitment to securing dignified and inclusive connectivity within the state, the committee reaffirmed its earlier stance that no taxation of any kind shall be levied on contractors or departments by non-state actors or civil society organisations in connection with the Foothills Road project.

Recalling its 2013 understanding with key Naga political groups (NPGs), the committee stated that the same principle must apply to all current factions.

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It also issued a caution to certain individuals against spreading misinformation to the public that the committee was awarded four contracts for the project.

“It was already clarified time and again that on the request of the department concerned to recommend firms, the following firms were endorsed to them—M/S 3S Infra Ltd (earth cutting works), Tuli Division; M/S P Mha-Tum & Co. (bridge), Baghty Division; M/S C/o NCSU c/o M/s Pelle Keizhe (bridge), Baghty Division; and M/S Quinker Enterprise (bridge), Baghty Division,” the press release stated.

It also pointed out that this clarification had already been published across major print and electronic media outlets on March 12.

Further, the committee raised concerns over the alleged fraudulent release of about INR 3 crore to M/s Onkho Construction and Suppliers and M/s Shangphoh Konyak without a joint inspection.

According to the Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signed on March 5, no bill was to be released without a joint inspection involving the NPWD (R&B), the contractor, and the NFHRCC.