NHIDCL team inspects Kohima-Mao highway stretch

Zeliang urges NHIDCL to expedite ongoing projects

KOHIMA — Managing Director of National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (NHIDCL), Mahmood Ahmed, on Sunday inspected the ongoing construction of the Kohima-Mao stretch of National Highway-2.

At the EPC contractor’s campsite in Jakhama, the MD along with the NHIDCL team participated in a cleanliness drive, organised to mark the nationwide ‘Shramdaan for Swachhata,’ before leaving for inspection of highway stretch till Moa gate.

On his return to the campsite, Ahmed met with the local MLA Kevipodi Sophie, who expressed dissatisfaction with the work progress along the road stretch.

Speaking to Eastern Mirror, Samuel Sumi of M/s Fortune Group, (contractor of the road stretch), said that as per official report, the work completed stands at 44 per cent. An addition of 3 to 4 per cent of work was also completed, which was not reflected in the bill.

Sumi said that they are targeting to complete the first layer blacktopping of the entire stretch (24 km) by December end.

From October to December, the firm will also try to finish Dense Bituminous Macadam (DBM) and drainage works of the entire stretch.

And from January to March 2024, the firm will work on final blacktopping and road markings, he said.

Revenue Officer of Kohima district administration, Kevinguto Kulnu, told this newspaper that the original alignment was for widening of the existing two-lane road with paved shoulders.

But since the NHIDCL descoped it to construction of the existing road without widening, the question of the right of way (ROW) does not arise, Kulnu said.

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Zeliang urges NHIDCL to expedite ongoing projects

Deputy Chief Minister TR Zeliang urged the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd. (NHIDCL), to expedite completion of important projects in Nagaland by the end of this year.

The deputy CM made the appeal during a meeting held on September 30 with the Managing Director of NHIDCL, Mahmood Ahmed, and Executive Director (P), RO Kohima, Amarendra Narayan Singh, an update from the deputy CM’s office stated.

Zeliang said that since the setting up of NHIDCL in 2014, many state highways in Nagaland were handed over to NHIDCL.

At present, there are 13 National Highways under their (NHIDCL) jurisdiction. However, none of the major roads could be completed thus far, he said.

Disclosing that the Nagaland portion of the 4-lane Dimapur city bypass road has been completed, the update stated that some portion in Assam remains incomplete, for which the NHIDCL has agreed in principle to complete by December 2023.

“This will immensely ease out the traffic congestion within Dimapur city and it will also be convenient for the heavy goods carriers and transporters heading towards Manipur and Myanmar,” it stated.

With the completion of Dimapur city bypass and the Dimapur-Kohima 4-lane and subsequent completion of the Kohima City bypass road, the connectivity to the state of Manipur and Myanmar will be complete, which will then be a corridor for the whole country towards Southeast Asian countries, thus fulfilling the dream of act east policy, it stated.

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