Photo Courtesy: nagalandpost
Kohima: Local officials officially opened the Foothill Road stretch extending from Doyang Bridge to the Merapani sector on Saturday. The project, overseen by the EE Baghty Division, reached completion in just over 15 months. The work focuses on earth-cutting and the installation of a single-layer Granular Sub Base surface rather than a fully blacktopped road.
MLA Achumbemo Kikon, who served as the special guest for the event, emphasized that the current surface is not designed for the heavy daily traffic of 200 to 300 loaded trucks. He urged transporters to help maintain the road and requested that the Department of Roads and Bridges secure funding for blacktopping and further extensions toward Changpang.
Technical reviews from the Roads and Bridges Department indicate the 38.6-kilometer project includes three road packages and five double-lane modular steel bridges. While the road is open, the department noted that the bridges require a curing period and will likely remain closed for another month. Construction on the spans over the Jakvatchu, Shantatchu, Jungtchu, Sungkatchu, and Tsumang rivers is nearly finished.
Contractor Dr. John Murry reported that the project involved work beyond the initial plans, including additional drainage and wall supports. Community leaders and regional representatives commended the project as a significant step for local infrastructure, acknowledging the collaborative effort between the government, contractors, and local villagers.
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