Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister TR Zeliang said MoRTH has “provided an interim reprieve to proceed with land acquisition under the State Act
DIMAPUR — In a move that is expected to pave the way for development of state’s road infrastructure, Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister TR Zeliang, who also holds the portfolios of Planning & Transformation and National Highway, said the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) has “provided an interim reprieve, allowing the State to proceed with land acquisition under the State Act.
The Dy. CM had meeting with senior officials of MoRTH led by the Secretary along with Director General and Additional Director General in New Delhi on August 19, ‘to deliberate on the widening of the existing Single-Lane NH-202 to 2-Lane road and other major widening projects namely NH-329A, NH-702A and Foothill Road’, said a statement received here on Saturday.
“One of the major impediments to the sanctioning of the project has been the policy issue concerning the applicable legislation for land acquisition, whether the National Highways Act, 1956, should be followed or whether the State should be permitted to proceed under the Nagaland Land (Requisition and Acquisition) Act, 1965.
“Given the State Government’s firm position and reservations regarding the application of the National Highways Act, 1956, in the context of Article 371(A) of the Constitution, the Ministry has now provided an interim reprieve, enabling the State to proceed with land acquisition under the State Act,” read the statement.
During the meeting, the ministry also agreed to accept the detailed project report (DPR) already under submission, notwithstanding certain technical deficiencies, and that it would carry out necessary technical modifications in consultation with the State-appointed consultant and the concerned engineers of MoRTH.
“This is a significant development, as appointing a new DPR consultant at this stage would entail several months of additional work involving fresh surveys and preparation of the DPR, thereby further delaying the project,” said Zeliang in a statement, adding that the present arrangement will help expedite the process towards finalisation and sanction.
“It is, therefore, our earnest appeal that the remaining technical issues in the DPR are resolved at the earliest so that the project can proceed expeditiously towards approval by the Union Cabinet,” he added.
Acknowledging the difficulties faced by the people of Tuensang, Shamator and Kiphire due to the existing condition of NH-202, he said the state government is committed to providing a sustainable and developed National Highway to the region.
He went to inform that the minor maintenance and improvement works currently underway are temporary and do not provide the scope or long-term solution required for a sustainable highway.
“I am confident that the State-appointed consultant, in close coordination with the engineers and technical officers of MoRTH, will be able to resolve the remaining technical issues in the DPR at the earliest. This will enable the Ministry to move forward with the necessary formalities and secure the sanction of this vital project at the earliest,” he continued.
It may be recalled that Zeliang had announced earlier this month that the MoRTH had sanctioned a one-year Short Term Maintenance Contract (STMC) for National Highway-202, covering a 244-km stretch across Tuensang, Shamator, Kiphire and Meluri districts. He had described it as a timely boost for the people of eastern Nagaland, and that the maintenance works would be executed in multiple packages along the Chare-Meluri stretch.