Dimapur, Feb. 1 (EMN): Lotha Hoho (LH) has stated that the construction of the bridge over Doyang River under Trans Nagaland Expressway is far from completion despite being approved and sanctioned in 2014.
A press statement issued from the LH on Monday claimed that ‘even 50% of the construction work of the bridge is not done’ till January 2021. The issue was raised during the monthly Wokha district planning and development board meeting at Liphanyan village (Governor Camp), under Ralan sub-division on January 28.
It stated that INR 2452.20 lakh was issued to M/S Pukhato Shohe and Sons on Nov.21, 2014.
“But after erecting only the left bank abutment and two pillars, the quantity of done is only about 30%. The concerned executive engineer R&B (Dimapur Division) had paid the contractor INR 18, 49, 73, 074 only, which is 75% of W/O amount,” it read.
It alleged that it amounted to ‘fraudulent payment of bill without commensurate work’. The target date of commissioning the bridge according to the work order was October 15, 2016, it added.
“Now after receiving 75% of payment and after more than six years (after issue of W/O), the work remains incomplete. After the Lotha Hoho filed FIR, the contractor had shown some activities; but the progress of work is going at snail’s pace and is unsatisfactory,” it read.
It further said that LH had carried out physical inspection of the bridge on September 11, 2017, May 25, 2019 and on January 28, 2021.
“More than half of the work remains to be done; as only half of the runway slab is concreted so far. Right bank abutment and half the bridge slab are yet to be constructed; after having paid 75% of the W/O amount. The contractor should complete at least the skeletal structure before claiming the Final bill,” read the statement.
“Although the bridge is located under Wokha district, the Express Highway is meant to benefit many districts, Dimapur, Wokha, Mokokchung, Longleng, Mon etc and even if the govt. spends thousands of crore of rupees for the Highway, the road will not be useable without the bridge. The stretch of the Express Highway in each of the stakeholder districts are 39 km under Dimapur with one R&B division, 135 km under Wokha with one R&B division, 72 km under Mokokchung with two R&B divisions, 38 km under Longleng with one R&B division and 58 km under Mon with two R&B divisions. The longest stretch is under Wokha and hence it is necessary to create one more R&B division in the district, for more effective supervision and management of the road,’ read the statement.
It has urged that the state govt, the construction committee and ACAUT to ‘carry out inquiry and take necessary disciplinary actions’ if the work is not completed in due time.
It has also urged the superintendent of police, Wokha to ‘reactivate the FIR for an authentic report, so that appropriate legal action can be initiated’.
