Moa Jamir
Dimapur | August 29
More than two decades after its announcement and eight years since the works were initially awarded, the four-laning of the Dimapur-Kohima road, connecting Nagaland’s commercial hub to its political capital, remains stuck in a rut, hampered by both human and nature-madechallenges.
Presently, out of the three packages awarded under the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme for North East (SARDP-NE) under Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contracts, only Package-II, covering a distance of 13.71 kilometre, is shown to be completed.
As per the status of works provided by the Deputy Chief minister and Minister-In-Charge of PWD (National Highways), TR Zeliang, in the State Assembly on August 27, out of three, the construction of Package-II was deemed completed on June 10, 2024.
Package-II ‘appointment date’ was September 16, 2016, with a completion deadline of September 15, 2019, as per initial ‘Project Status’ report on the website of the implementing agency – the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).
Meanwhile, the status of Package-I, covering around 14.93 km starting from Chathe River Bridge, awarded on September 16, 2016, is shown as 99.81% physical progress in the status report by Zeliang in reply to query posed by MLA Kuzholuzo Nienu.
The likely date of completion of Package-I, originally slated to be completed by September 15, 2019, is given as December 31, 2024.The NHIDCL has designated the stretch as ‘Completed C.C (Completion Certificate) Not issued.’
However, the Package-I traversing through ‘Pagla-Pahar’ has been the site of frequent rockslides, including a tragic incident on July 4, 2023, claiming two lives, as well as another a year later on July 5, 2024, injuring four individuals.
Accordingly, the mountainside of the four-lane stretch from Chathe Bridge to New Chümoukedima village junction has been closed to traffic. The M/s Ramky-ECI (JV) is the contractor for both Package I and II.
Most delayed stretch
The most delayed and contentious stretch, however,is Package-III covering 14.21 km, roughly from Piphema to Jotsoma.
Presently, a massive landslide on the stretch near Dzüdza Bridge has blocked the stretch, completely restricting vehicular movement for nearly two weeks. The State Government had reportedly served a 72-hour deadline on August 26 to the NHIDCL to clear the blockage.
As per the status report given by the Deputy CM, the physical progress of the roadworks is just 15.88% and the expecteddate of completion is September 28, 2025.
While the appointment date of the contract to M/s Brand Eagles in September 2023, it must be noted that it is a ‘new award,’ after termination oftwo previous contracts.
A status report as of ‘22-04-2016’ by the NHIDCL gave the the ‘Date of Award’ for Package-III as “08th Aug, 2019” with the “Target Date of Completion’ as ‘08th Aug, 2019.’
The contract with Gayatri Projects Ltd (GPL), the first contractor was terminated in June 2021, while another with Oasis Techno Construction Ltd was terminated in 2022.
The prolonged delay in the NH-29 construction has also prompted the Kohima Bench of the Guwahati High Court to initiate a suo motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in 2019, noting that the project, originally scheduled for completion in September 2019, remains unfinished.
Reasons for delay
Meanwhile, in response to another query about NH-29 raised by MLA AchumbemoKikon on August 29, the Deputy CM outlined several reasons for the delay, as provided by the implementing agency, NHIDCL.
These include some rather unusual ones, such as working constraints due to ‘local customs and religious sentiments,’ without elaborating.
Other ‘human’ related causes cited were delay in providing an encumbrance-free project site, strikes and bandhs causing law and order issues; delays in utility shifting, stoppage of work by locals, and inadequate planning and workforce from the contractor.
It also included termination of two EPC Contractor for slow progress of work and default of EPC Contractor in Package III.
The natural causesprovided were unseasonal and seasonal rainfall, frequent landslides and sliding, particularly in the ‘Pagla Pahar’ area, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Meanwhile, in the August 27 reply, Zeliang highlighted several measures purportedly taken by the NHIDCL for ‘public safety’ in ‘Pagla-Pahar’ as well as the entire stretch of NH-29.These includedrock barrier and netting with boltingand breast wall, at the Pagla Pahar stretch.
Based on the Independent Technical Expert Committee (ITEC)reportformed of after July 2023 incident, the NHIDCL is also engaging a DPR Consultant to carry out a detailed investigation of the layers of Dimapur-Kohima Road to suggest suitable long-term protection measures, he maintained, apart from dditional measures such as metal beam crash barrier (MBCB), gabion and breast wall.
After July 5, 2024 incident, the NHIDCL is planning to implement additional slope protection measures along stretch and tenders were scheduled for submission by August 22, Zeliang said. He also cited plans for the ‘Box Cell Viaduct by Cast in Situ method’ and Box Pushing method to enhance the “complete protection of the most vulnerable stretch.
Meanwhile, during the resumption of the PIL hearing on August 28, the HC Kohima Bench impleaded M/S Innovative Construction, the newcontractor for road maintenance on Package I, and M/S Maccaferri Infrastructure Pvt. Ltd, recently assigned to handle slope maintenance on Package III, as new respondents in the proceedings.The matter is fixed for next hearing on August 30.
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