Nagaland Foothills Road Committee urges government to resume construction

The Nagaland Foothills Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC) has called on the state government to immediately resume the second phase of the Foothills Road project. The committee is urging the issuance of work orders for the remaining Rs 282.27 crore approved under the Special Assistance to States for Capital Investment (SASCI) within the current working season.

The 395.9 km project, which aims to connect Khelma in the Peren district to Tizit in the Mon district, began in 2013. The NFHRCC noted that the public has cooperated by providing 40 feet of land width without compensation, and Naga political groups have supported the initiative without imposing taxation. Despite this, the committee stated the project has seen little progress for nearly 14 years, citing a lack of political will and leadership.

To illustrate the delay, the committee compared the project to the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway, which is nearing completion despite starting much later in 2019. The NFHRCC emphasized that the road is indispensable for Nagaland’s economic growth and resource generation.