Who Would Dare to do Contract Work in Border Areas?

It is a pitiable fact to note that during the recent NIT Notification for Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) Road projects tender in Nagaland State, 80% of the Border Area Road projects which were clustered by clubbing two or more locations into single package in bidding, no contractor, firm or company dared to participate in the tender. One of the reasons was that there were no qualified local contractors for the PMGSY projects in terms of work credentials and tools and plant possession and also bid criteria for ongoing PMGSY projects were like a sharp tooth and pointed horns. It was justified that the project clubbed two or more into a single cluster and was done since the cost of Hi-tech machine was very high and sublet contractor provision was given to the rest of the contractors. And even the other advanced tribes Nagaland contractors are not willing to work as the local atmosphere in the border area is not congenial to work, specifically in international boundary region. The other day in local dailies, Eastern Nagaland Students’ Union (ENSF) officers had written to award the PMGSY project work to financially proficient firm and their concern seemed to be worthy of appreciation and right advised. But remember, in many locations in Eastern Nagaland areas during last PMGSY projects tendered, no single bidder participated in some packages and even the lone tender was rejected without being admitted for re-bidding.

It is painful to learn that within the contractors and supplier cycles, there had been pre-occupied discussion that, contractors won’t be able to execute the PMGSY projects in Eastern sector of Nagaland especially in Border area as Insurgency elements are rampant and locations are very steep and terrain poor. Moreover, there is same SoR in DPR for all Districts of ENPO area. It is the naked truth and truth is painful because the Longwa-Pongchao Inter-State National Highways Projects workers and Border Road Organisation BRO Tuensang-Mon-Naginimora Road Bridge construction site engineer was kidnapped by unknown miscreants. And many road projects have been abandoned by the contractors as labourers were scared of working in the site and rumours spread like wild fire that even the local resident population were neither supportive nor cooperative with the contractors and labourers. Moreover, there is same Schedule of Rates (SoR) for whole Mon district in ongoing PMGSY Projects, the transportation cost from Sibsagar Assam to Naginimora and Tizit-Namsa is mere INR 3000/- per trip whereas from Sonari-Assam to Wangti-Monyakshu is INR 45,000/- per Trip and Longgwa and Tehok cost INR 40,000/-per trip. The numerous bidders participated near Assam Border PMGSY project from Tizit to Oting Village, yet no single bidder dared to participate in the whole Mon District Border and some ENPO area PMGSY projects tender could be the reasons for above cited grievances and preoccupied fear of facing foreseeable problems. Whom is to be blamed and who are responsible for such setbacks? The Government of India and Nagaland State Government are going to implement the PMGSY projects connecting every village by 2027 but then if they are not properly implemented and if this trend continues, then I think our future is doomed in the infrastructural facilities sector in the region.

The Ministry of Rural Development, GoI and GoN Department of PWD, (R&B), Nagaland and its officers are very thankful for revamping PMGSY Projects in Nagaland. But, preparing the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and executing the works, Schedule of Rates SoR abstraction must be considered not District wise but as per distance in kilometre and R/D block wise so as to mete out justice to the contractors and allow smooth implementation of the projects. And all the NPGs are requested to think and consider the leniency over the grievances of the frontier area contractor’s case as we have numerous organisations in Nagaland and it is unbearable to face the countless donation bowls. And the NGOs leaders, Village Anghs/Chairmen/GBs and general public are fervently requested to support and cooperate with the contractors and implementing Departmental officers for accelerating the speedy developmental activities in the backward area.

P.L.Leo Konyak