Nagaland Deputy CM cracks whip on delayed highway projects, warns contractors

In a bid to accelerate the pace of National Highway development in Nagaland, a high-level review meeting was held under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang, who also serves as the Minister in-charge of Planning & Transformation and National Highways. The meeting focused on evaluating the progress of ongoing projects and tackling critical hurdles hampering their smooth execution.

The review commenced with an assessment of the Action Taken Report from the previous meeting held on January 28, 2025. While several previously flagged issues have been resolved, a few key challenges continue to obstruct progress—chief among them being land acquisition delays for the Peren-Dimapur (Package-V) and Kohima-Jessami (Package-II) highway stretches.

Deputy Commissioner of Chumukedima reported that the finalization of damage compensation for Peren-Dimapur has been held up due to pending estimates from departments such as Horticulture, Agriculture, and PWD (Housing). He also cited alignment rectification work as another cause of delay but assured that the process would be expedited and submitted to the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) soon.

On the Kohima-Jessami section, Deputy CM Zeliang issued a stern directive to the contractor to commence work immediately, warning of possible termination in case of further undue delays. Both NHIDCL officials and the Deputy Commissioner of Phek echoed the concern, criticizing the contractor's non-performance, which has caused considerable inconvenience to the public.

The Executive Director of NHIDCL drew attention to disruptions in the Merangkong-Tamlu-Mon (Package-IV) project, triggered by objections from the Konyak Union and civil society groups over work quality. These interruptions, he noted, have led to significant time and cost overruns.

While acknowledging the watchdog role of civil society, Zeliang urged stakeholders to raise concerns through appropriate administrative channels rather than halting project work. He emphasized that all quality-related grievances should be formally reported to the District Administration or NHIDCL for verification, assuring that strict action would follow if contractors are found at fault.

Additionally, the Deputy CM announced that he would personally inspect the Kohima Bypass on March 11, 2025, to resolve lingering issues and ensure smooth project execution.

The meeting was attended by key officials, including Kesonyu Yhome, IAS (Commissioner & Secretary, Works & Housing), Zasekuolie Chusi, IAS (Commissioner & Secretary, Land Revenue), the Executive Director of NHIDCL, and Deputy Commissioners from Kohima, Chumukedima, Phek, Meluri, and Peren.

Zeliang stressed that the timely completion of National Highway projects remains a top priority to bolster Nagaland's infrastructure and economic development.