Doyang Bridge on Nagaland foothills road dedicated to the people

INTERNATIONAL DESK: A key link to the long delayed Nagaland Foothills Road, the construction of the Doyang Bridge in Liphanyan, Wokha, started in December 2014 with a 33-month completion time frame. But it was not until 8 years later, in November 2022, that the bridge could be completed. Around two months later,this year, Union Home Minister Amit Shah remotely inaugurated the bridge, alongwith four other development projects,at a state government programme in Chümoukedima on January 6.

On January 28, the Nagaland Foothills Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC), which proposed and spearheaded the construction of the foothills road (later rechristened Trans-Nagaland Expressway) and the Doyang Bridge, conducted a programme at Liphanyan honouring the effort that went into the construction,while dedicating it to the people. Rev Moses Murry, Chairperson, Dimapur Christian Forum offered the dedicatory prayer.

The new RCC beam bridge spans 134.8 m in length and carried a price tag of approximately over Rs 28 crore, as per official figures. The cost was originally estimated at Rs 24.5 cr which was later revised as the construction delayed.

The foothills road, which originally covered the Niuland-Tizit stretch of the Nagaland’s foothills running some 250 km, was extended to cover till Khelma in Peren. As per current assessment, the revised length runs 398.2 km. The project has had the state government sanctioning approximately Rs 90-100 cr since 2013-14 till 2021. It started with the pledging of Rs 80 initially but which reduced to Rs 70 cr. It came in two installments—Rs. 40cr in 2013-14 and Rs.30cr in 2014-15.

The government had pledged a sum of Rs. 70cr to the project in 2013, which were sanctioned and released in two instalments – Rs. 40cr in 2013-14 and Rs.30cr in 2014-15. In September 2021, Rs 20 cr was allocated “for emergency works” for the foothills road and the Doyang Bridge.

NFHRCC Convenor, Supu Jamir, in his address, recalled the events that resulted in the formation of the NFHRCC, some ten years ago, backed by the tribal hohos, and the subsequent movement for government funding to start the foothills road along with a bridge over the Doyang.

Also regarded as a ‘Survival Road,’ frequent road blockades and bandhs in neighbouring Assam coupled with arbitrary harassment to commuters from Nagaland by the Assam police at the slightest of offence, served as one of the main motivating factors that led to the rallying of the tribal hohos for the foothills road.

According to Jamir, the movement for the foothills road started with a resolve to work together “come what may, in order to save the Nagas from the yoke of humiliation.”

He recalled that there was no money when the project was started with the NFHRCC asked by the government to shoulder the responsibility of finding contractors. While stating that there were no takers/contractors for the foothills road project initially, he said that for the Doyang Bridge alone, three work orders had to be issued as the first two did not materialise. It was only when government sanction to fund the project was announced that it attracted interest, he added.

While stating that the NFHRCC faced many hurdles, including but limited to allegations of favourtism and fund misuse, he said, “We had a tough time. But we never compromised on our goal. We started with the resolution that this project will not be politicised. And on that principle, we confronted many situations.”

Ten years was a long and anxious wait, filled with controversies and counter claims, nevertheless, he said, “When there is a will, there is a way.”

NFHRCC General Secretary, W Lemba Chang termed the dedicatory programme as “a way of thanking God and seeking his blessings to further take the foothills road project forward.”

The contractor of the bridge sought to clarify the grounds for the delayed completion. According to the contractor, a number of factors and events, beyond its control, combined to extend the completion time. Contestations over work contract, demonetisation in 2016, the protests over Urban Local Bodies elections and related shut downs in 2017 and the introduction of new taxation system in the form of GST were cited as some of the factors. In addition, he said that the collapse of the Chathe River bridge and the washing away of an alternative connecting bridge to the Doyang bridge project site greatly impacted progress of work. Release of water from the Doyang Hydro dam upstream hampered work as machinery and raw materials were washed away, he said.

Other speakers included representatives from the Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation, Central Nagaland Tribes Council and Young Naga action Committee on Foothills Road and a resident from the host village— Liphanyan.