Dimapur, Nagaland: Amid the indefinite bandh on National Highway-61 called by civil society organizations of Wokha district, the contracting company M/s TTC Infra India has issued a statement in response to criticism and blame leveled against it considering facts and circumstances. 

The company placed on record the facts relating to the execution of the contract awarded by Letter of Acceptance dated August 25, 2020. This contract was specifically for the widening of the existing single/intermediate lane to two lane road from 72.4 km to 83.00 km on NH-61 in Nagaland. This road covers the stretch from Longsa to the Hammock Resort.

In terms of the contract, the company clarified, the right of way or ROW was to be made available to the contractor within a period of 30 days from the date of execution of the contract agreement i.e., 5.11.2020.                       

However, the ROW issue became an inhibiting factor from the very inception, the statement said. TTC Infra India reminded that a contractor awarded road projects is not in any way involved in the process of securing the ROW. The ROW is in fact in the exclusive domain of the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, the state government, the district authorities and the office of the chief engineer of PWD (National Highway), the company reminded.                 

Issues relating to compensation for land, including structures, are supposed to be resolved before the floating of the Notice Inviting Tender, it stated.                           

The firm stated that contractors submit their bids on the understanding that there will be no issues relating to ROW. The ROW in certain stretches of the contract project was issued only on 9.03.2022. In these stretches, the contract project has been completed according to specifications. However, the ROW for 10% of the contract project has still not been made available. This would mean, that the ministry, the state government, the district administration and the chief engineer of PWD (NH) office on one side and land owners on the other side have not been able to resolve issues relating to land compensation, it stated.               

The company lamented that in such a circumstance, it was a misconception or an uninformed appreciation of ground realities to be blaming the contractor for not completing the contract project.

In fact, it stated, the delays due to circumstances beyond the control of the contractor have resulted in huge losses, as well as inability on the part of the contractor to complete the contract project. It would only be fair for all stake holders, including those agitating to appreciate this irrefutable fact, TTC Infra India stated.                       

Another issue which has been raised is the non-demolishing of “buildings, structures for which compensation has already been paid”. Those whose stand is that “compensated buildings and structures must be demolished” insist that they will not allow further construction of the contract project, unless the said buildings/structures are first demolished. 

This misconception appears to be an insurmountable obstruction, the company stated. For instance, during various meetings and site inspections, in the ROW which has been provided, measurements have been repeatedly taken to show that the buildings and structures which are reportedly “yet to be demolished” are actually outside the ROW.         

This fact can be verified from the chief engineer of PWD (NH), as well as the Wokha Deputy Commissioner, the company stated. It is wrong and motivated to impute any shortcoming upon the contractor in relation to the non-demolition of “compensated buildings and structures”, the company reminded.  

The company also lamented that the contractor was accused of substandard work in constructing drains, retaining walls, culverts and the carriage way. The work order issued pursuant to the LOA contains specific details as to how each and every component of the contract project should be executed. So far, the contract authority i.e., the chief engineer PWD of (NH), has found no fault with the execution of any of the components of the contract project, TTC Infra India stated while wondering why such an allegation was leveled.         

Again, the company also noted that a section of Wokha town demanded that the contractor provide the machineries and manpower to demolish the “buildings and structures already compensated.” The contractor iterated that it is not in any way involved in securing the ROW. Actually, the “buildings and structures already compensated“, proposed to be demolished, fall outside the ROW. On this issue too, the company lamented as to how fault could be attributed to the contractor.     

TTC Infra India said that from the inception of the execution of the contract project, the contractor has been facing obstructions on a daily basis. In fact, it stated, the ROW for certain sections was provided by the district administration at a belated stage; that too, not in a single stretch but in pockets from time to time, the company stated.     

Those considering themselves, to be espousing public interest have impeded the completion of the contract project by stopping and obstructing work, detaining workmen and laborers, physically manhandling them, mentally and physically abusing officials and agents of the contractor and more, the statement said. 

Protesters and their obstructions resulted in the complete standstill of the execution of the contract project firstly, for a period of 540 days from August 25, 2020 to March 22, 2022, and then from May 15, 2023 till date, the company lamented. These obstructions resulted in a slow pace in the execution of the contract project. The closure of work in the construction project for more than two years has entailed huge losses for the contractor. Idle men and machinery, investments without returns for two years, especially in a project involving only INR 65.00 crore and the losses can very well be imagined by everyone, it stated. 

The closure of the contract project for the periods as referred to and the failure of the state to provide the remaining 10% of the ROW, coupled with the irrational demands foisted upon the contractor, which are not part of the LOA and work order, has had adverse effects, the firm stated.   

In these circumstances, the contractor has written to the state and the chief engineer of PWD (NH), for de-scoping the contract to the extent executed till date, it stated.   

The company called it unfortunate that because of a misunderstanding of ground realities, the bandh on NH-61 had been imposed. In the press statements issued from time to time, a picture has been painted to show as if the contractor was culpable of shortcomings. This allegation couldn’t be farther from the truth, TTC Infra India stated.       

It iterated that the complete ROW for the execution of the contract project has not been provided till date. Agitators completely stopped the execution of the project and till date, the complete ROW has not been provided, the company stated.    

The company stated that the contractor has executed each and every component of the contract project in terms of the specifications provided. There is no complaint whatsoever in this regard by the chief engineer of PWD {NH), it stated adding that the issues that have been raised are not the responsibility of the contractor. TTC Infra India has expressed confidence that this press statement will clear up misunderstandings and misperceptions about what actually happened with the execution of the contract project.