Kohima roads above work specifications, says Nagaland govt. committee

Our Correspondent

Kohima, Oct. 7 (EMN): The chairman of Committee on Government Assurance and MLA, Kuzholuzo Nienu, on Wednesday said that taxation from ‘national workers’, loose soil and inferior stone quality are the major reasons for bad roads in the state. He however said that the contractor executing road projects in Kohima has done ‘above work specifications’.

He said this while interacting with journalists during a verification tour of road projects in Kohima.

He asserted that ‘multiple taxation and demands from all quarters make the contractors practically difficult to execute the full specifications’. He added that unstable soil condition and the inferior quality of stone in the state are the reasons for bad roads.

“This is why we want a solution, a temporary solution or temporary settlement. We want to do away with all the multiple taxation; Nagas are practically fed up,” Nienu said.

‘Come what may, any solution, give it, so that we will subside with unwarranted activities,’ he added.

The chairman said the ‘hue and cry’ and questions raised by the members of the legislative assembly about Dimapur and Kohima road led the committee to take up verification of road projects.

He added that like the verification being carried out on Tuesday (in Dimapur) and Wednesday (in Kohima), it would do the same even in the future based on the demand of the public.

The incessant unprecedented rain had on Wednesday disturbed the verification team to do a spot study. However, the chairman said, “Whatever damages are there, what needs to be repaired; we have all seen it with our own eyes.”

He maintained that the contractor executing the project has done ‘above specifications’ and that ‘it is a very good sign’.

“The stipulated time for the contract work is not over; he (contractor) still has six months to finish the work, but owing to the monsoon season and unprecedented rain, the blacktopping work cannot be continued and is halted for the time being,” Nienu said.

According to the chairman, there are damages on the shoulder of the roads but it (committee) cannot advise nor tell the contractor to do it, maintaining that ‘there is no provision to do it’.

Nienu asserted that there are major damages from Phesama check gate till Mohankhola, which is being given to the contractor to carry out major repair work.

He observed that from Mohankhola to Box Cutting and Hospital (NHAK), roads ‘are very good’ while there are damages from NHAK till KMC check gate because of loose soil and rain.

“In Kohima, we cannot blame anyone for the loose soil condition, so the committee has advised the contractor to go for major repairing in those areas,” Nienu said.

He said the contractor had built roads 20mm more than the specification out of the samples collected from the roads for proof and examinations.

While reiterating Tuesday’s verification in Dimapur with directions for the contractors for completion of roads before Christmas, he also told the contractor for Kohima roads to clean the roads before Christmas and give it as a ‘Christmas present to the people’.

Nienu informed that the contractor has four years to maintain the stretch of the road.

Member of the committee and advisor for IPR, SCERT and VGs, Toshi Wungtung meanwhile maintained that the rain and geographical challenges coupled with Covid-19 challenges had affected many activities; yet the contractor had executed the project and put in effort and the progress that is being made is ‘laudable’.

Wungtung maintained that the government, including the opposition party and the department is keen to see that the road functions well to facilitate the movement for various mediums in terms of transportation, commercial activities and all sorts of movement.

While lauding the contractor for meticulously following the guidelines, the advisor also urged to put in effort so that ‘safety of the road’ is maintained.

Meanwhile, the advisor for Municipal Affairs and Urban Development and MLA, Dr. Neikiesalie Kire, who was also present during the verification programme, expressed hope that the state capital will have better roads before the Hornbill Festival.

Besides the verification of roads in Dimapur and Kohima, the committee also informed that it had inspected the construction work of Dimapur-Kohima four-lane road, which is being executing by the NHIDCL, as a ‘goodwill visit’ and offered its advice for road safety, ecological preservation, timely work and ensuring road quality.

Meanwhile, the engineer-in-chief of Public Works Development (PWD), Limadongtang, informed that the specified dense bituminous macadam (DBM) is 40 mm while the bituminous concrete (BC) is 100 mm that comes to 140 mm.

He said the contractor had built the road up to 160 mm, which is 20 mm more than the work specification. He informed that there is no compromise in the quality of work.

Class-I Government Registered Contractor, Vilelie Khamo, who is undertaking the project, was also present during the spot verification tour. He assured to fulfil the terms and conditions of the contract, to complete the work and maintain it for four years.

He also informed that the blacktopping has been put on halt due to the incessant rain but would complete the work before December 2020.

The committee team was accompanied by the commissioner and secretary of Work and Housing, Rovilatuo Mor, Commissioner and Secretary, Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) PJ Anthony and other officials.