Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio told the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly on Thursday that cooperation of the people and obedience to rules were required to have good roads.

“If we want good roads, we should all follow the rules and work together,” the CM said on the concluding day of the 14th NLA session, while adding to Minister G. Kaito Aye’s reply to MLA Kuzholuzo Nienu question.

Nienu had enquired on the status of the Phek-Ketsapo village road, to which G. Kaito Aye, Minister PWD (R&B) stated that the Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) was issued on November 30,2022, providing a copy of the work for the upgradation of the road as per request.

“The Physical Progress of the work is 52 per cent and the amount released for the work is Rs. 801.94 Lakhs (100%). However, only an amount of Rs 330.00 Lakhs (42%) has been released to the contractor as per the Work executed,” mentioned Aye.

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While acknowledging satisfaction with the road construction, Nienu stated that the quality of stone was of “very Inferior quality” and sought assurance from the Minister not to compromise on the quality of stone used and to complete the work on time.

G. Kaito Aye, Minister PWD (Roads & Bridges)

In response, G Kaito Aye stated that Nagaland stone chips differ from area to area and informed that they are not getting access to the top quality chips. Highlighting that 511km of PMJSY construction from the Ministry of Rural Development, where the State PWD and R&B were informed to implement, Aye stated that due to the lack of manpower in R&B department, it was concluded that unless new technology was adopted the Department would not be provided the Phase III sanction.

“The level of ongoing work should be going forward but we are not and the Ministry is not happy to give us sanction under CRIF. The Department along with the CM are trying our best that some roads be de-sanctioned, which are not very viable at the moment and some are being closed as the contractors are not very prompt and have been delaying their work for quite sometime,” said Aye assuring that the quality of the road would be improved and asked for cooperation from the representatives.

Kaito also called attention to the challenges faced by the Department where bestowing favouritism to each other has brought them to the current scenario, and further asserted that “work needs to be allotted to the rightful person and follow the DPR.”

In addition, Chief Minister Rio informed that the government is still in discussion with the contractor and NHIDCL, “But the system is online tendering, and one cannot control the technicalities and hence, whoever has not completed their works, we are making sure that works are not handed out to them again but that is a huge backload particularly in the PMJSY,” stated Rio adding that land owners’ issue, carrying sub standard works are posing challenges.