RPP launches crowdfunding campaign for foothill road in Nagaland

Our Reporter
Dimapur, Sep. 3 (EMN): The Rising People’s Party (RPP) on Friday launched a crowdfunding initiative at Hotel Acacia in Dimapur with an aim to complete the foothill road.

The president of Rising Youth, Zhokhoi Chüzho, said at the event that the 396-km foothill road, also known as the ‘Trans-Nagaland Expressway’ was conceptualised by the state government in 1974 but is still far from completion. He added that the project was revived by the Nagaland Foothill Road Co-ordination Committee (NFHRCC) in 2013 but came to a grinding halt in 2016 due to insufficient funding and misplaced priorities.

If completed, he said, the road will connect seven of the 12 districts of the state and serve as a crucial lifeline for the people in terms of communication and economic development.

According to NFHRCC, 90% of the earth cutting work has been completed but the remaining 10% and a bridge over Doyang River is still pending. It was informed that the people of the state would continue to face unimaginable hardship by passing through the neighbouring state of Assam if the said road was not completed.

Chüzho clarified that the RPP was not trying to overpower the foothill road committee through its crowdfunding initiative but to give a helping hand to complete the project.

Informing that it targets to raise INR 10 crore in 100 days, starting from September 3 (time extendable), the youth leader appealed to the people to contribute towards the cause.

The donation received will be utilised solely for the foothill road project and the collected amount to be handed over to the appropriate authority, said Chüzho, adding that the campaign will be directly managed by ‘Milaap’ while donors can make their donation through (milaap.org/fundraisers/support-foothill-road).

Kick-starting the campaign, 1st runner-up of Miss Phek 2019, Munulu Chizo donated INR 30,000 on behalf of the RPP at the launch event.