The North Eastern Council (NEC) has released Rs 75 crore out of sanctioned Rs 188 crore to the Nagaland Public Works Department (PWD) for up-gradation of Longleng-Tuensang road as first installment.
NEC secretary Ram Muivah said this at a consultative meeting on rehabilitation and up-gradation of Longleng-Tuensang road under North East Road Sector Development Scheme (NERSDS) at Sakshi in Longleng district on Monday, an official release stated on Tuesday.
He said the road project would begin in the first week of October after completion of the tender formalities by the department.
The existing three-meter major district road will be extended with additional seven-meter surface along with both black topping and cementing, Muivah said.
He added the NEC would maintain the road for four years after its completion.
He said 46 km road from Nokzang in Mon district to Longding in Arunachal Pradesh under NERSDS has been completed and another 30 km road from Mon to Kanubari in Arunachal Pradesh would be taken up soon.
He said various road constructions have been taken up in eastern Nagaland areas keeping in mind that eastern Nagaland People’s Organization areas are connected with the rest of the districts of the State.
Apart from road construction, Muivah said the NEC has been engaging in implementing other projects for the development of eastern Nagaland areas.
The tea plantation and processing has been initiated in Longkhim and Chare area, piggery farming and ginger processing in Hukchang village under Tuensang district.
Muivah said bringing road connectivity to the far-flung areas of north-eastern region is the main objectives of NEC.
Nagaland minister for health and family welfare, S Pangnyu Phom, who was also present at the meeting, said unlike other projects, the Longleng-Tuensang road project will be 100 per cent funded by the NEC and it would not benefit only the people of the two districts but also the entire eastern Nagaland.
He appealed to the village councils to take full responsibility of the road under their respective jurisdiction for its quality and speedy completion.
Phom said no compensation will be paid to the landowners for up-gradation of the road and appealed to all concerned to join hands for progress.