TR Zeliang flags delays, quality issues plaguing national highway projects

DIMAPUR — Deputy Chief Minister and Minister in-charge of National Highway, TR Zeliang, who is on a 4-day inspection tour of highway projects, has remarked the slow progress as well as unsatisfactory nature of work in some divisions.

Since November 11, Zeliang has been on a tour to oversee and review ongoing National Highway projects at various locations in five districts: Phek (702A), Kiphire-Shamator-Tuensang (NH-202) and Mokokchung (NH-702D and NH-02).

On Wednesday, the deputy chief minister wrote on X that he had noticed some portions of NH-2 getting damaged on the newly completed road from Yisemyong to Unger in Mokokchung district. Accordingly, he directed the Executive Engineer (NH) Mokokchung Division to immediately ask the contractor to repair it “lest these damages get aggravated.”

He also visited the NH-202 (package-I) site and asserted that at the current pace of work, “the remaining stretch of package-I should be completed within November.”

A press release issued by the deputy chief minister’s office informed that he had held a series of “high-level consultative meetings” with tribal bodies, student leaders, village councils, GBs, landowners and district administrations at Kiphire, Shamator, Tuensang on the third day of his tour.

He called upon the public to cooperate with the government and contractors for timely completion of the projects, it stated.

“He said that good roads are essential for all round development and the government is making all efforts to connect every nook and corner of the state with good roads.

“He said that once NH 202 is completed, the face of Eastern Naga (land) area will completely be transformed and all round development will take place. Therefore, he urged the public to support and complete the project in time,” it added.

According to the press release, the construction of the newly proposed NH 202, which will connect five districts with the rest of the country, is expected to commence soon.

“Deputy Chief Minister also met contractors and NHIDCL officials at Mokokchung and Tuli and urged them to expedite the work and complete it on time. He asked the contractors to keep the road in condition by maintaining it regularly,” it informed.

On November 12, Zeliang remarked that the “Short Term Maintenance Contract (STMC) under Kiphire Division and Tuensang Division is unsatisfactory and the progress of work is not up to the mark.” He directed the respective division engineers to give notice to the contractors concerned to improve the progress of work and complete the project within the period stipulated in the contract agreement.

He also noted that the road from Saddle village to Kuthur village in Tuensang district is under Defect Liability Period (DLP)—requiring the contractor to carry out maintenance work.

“However, it is seen that no maintenance work has been done on this stretch,” he said and directed the executive engineer (NH) to immediately give notice to the contractor to start the work within 10 days, failing which the contractor will be blacklisted.

He also met with representatives of the firm undertaking the 2-lane works on NH-2 from Unger to Tuli in Mokokchung district.  “They are behind schedule but with revised completion date of March 22, 2025, they are confident of meeting the target”, he said.