Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio said that land availability and alignment issues continue to delay the long-pending Foothill Road (FHR) project, even as the Centre has shown willingness to support the project under certain conditions.Rio made the statement while replying to a starred question during the ongoing session of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly. The question was raised by NPF MLA Achumbemo Kikon, who sought clarification on proposals for upgrading the Wokha–Bokajan and Aghunato–Shamator roads. While responding, the chief minister also spoke in detail about the broader Foothill Road project.The chief minister said that the project has faced several challenges over the years, mainly related to land availability and alignment of the proposed road.
He also expressed surprise at reports that a group calling itself the “Foothill Road Committee” had issued an ultimatum to the government, asking it to allocate funds for the project by March 31. Rio questioned the authority of the committee and said that the Foothill Road project was originally initiated by the state government itself. Recalling earlier developments, Rio said that the idea of the Foothill Road dates back many years. He mentioned that during his tenure as Works and Housing minister in 1993, the project had already faced difficulties because of boundary disputes with neighbouring Assam. According to him, although the Central government recognised the importance of the road, financial support was not provided at that time. As a result, the Nagaland government had to begin work on certain portions using its own resources.
Rio also pointed out that the road alignment must follow the foothill areas strictly. He said that in some places, particularly in Wokha and Peren districts, deviations from the original alignment had created difficulties for travellers who use the route for long-distance journeys.
