Nagaland Deputy Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang chaired a high-level review meeting on Wednesday to assess the progress of ongoing National Highway projects and address key challenges. He emphasized regular monitoring and coordination to ensure timely completion of critical road infrastructure.During the meeting, officials reviewed the Action Taken Report from the previous session on January 28, 2025. While several issues had been resolved, land acquisition delays for the Peren-Dimapur (Package-V) and Kohima-Jessami (Package-II) projects were flagged as major roadblocks.
For the Peren-Dimapur (Package-V) project, the delay in damage compensation finalization was linked to pending estimates from Horticulture, Agriculture, and PWD (Housing) departments. The Deputy Commissioner of Chumukedima assured efforts to expedite the process.Regarding the Kohima-Jessami (Package-II) project, Zeliang instructed contractors to commence work immediately, warning of contract termination if delays persist. NHIDCL and the Deputy Commissioner of Phek criticized the contractor for non-performance, citing public hardships due to stalled work.The Merangkong-Tamlu-Mon (Package-IV) project has also faced disruptions from civil society groups, particularly the Konyak Union, over concerns regarding work quality. Zeliang urged stakeholders to raise grievances through official channels rather than halting work.
To expedite progress, the Deputy CM announced an onsite inspection of the Kohima Bypass on March 11, 2025, to resolve project-related challenges.Senior officials, including Commissioner & Secretary (Works & Housing) Kesonyu IAS, Commissioner & Secretary (Land Revenue) Zasekuolie Chusi IAS, NHIDCL’s Executive Director, and Deputy Commissioners of Kohima, Chumukedima, Phek, and Meluri, attended the meeting.
