DIMAPUR, Dec 13 - The Nagaland Contractors� and Suppliers� Union (NCSU) has called for a 12-hour bandh along NH-29 (Dimapur-Kohima road) from 6 am to 6 pm on December 15 to protest against the failure of assurance given by the Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways, Nitin Gadkari, on various occasions to accommodate local contractors in the construction of four lane Dimapur-Kohima road.
In a press release, the NCSU president, Pele Khezhie, and general secretary, John Kath, said that the Union Minister on various occasions assured to accommodate the local contractors by breaking up the project into smaller packages on construction of four-lane.
Stating that the Ministry concerned had implemented the system of break-up of works in Arunachal, the Union asked why same yardstick could not be applied in Nagaland also.
The NCSU said that it was not greedy to get the contract work for its own benefit but fighting for the rights of the Nagas in general.
While expressing regret for the inconvenience that could be caused due to proposed bandh, the Union has appealed to the general public to cooperate.
Meanwhile, Nagaland Public Works Department has appealed to NCSU to call off the proposed bandh in the interest of all concerned.
In a press release, the engineer-in-chief of the Nagaland Public Works� Department, Er. V Kehie, said that the NCSU bandh during this festive season would cause a lot of inconvenience to the public which in turn could have an adverse impact on the state.
Kehie said the long awaited work for four-laning of Dimapur-Kohima road is now in the tendering stage although the same project was announced twice in the past and could not be taken up due to various reasons.
He, however, said that it was heartening that the project shall be materialised this time.
