Dimapur: The Nagaland Foothills Road Co-ordination Committee (NFHRCC) on April 15 announced the temporary suspension of its proposed agitation over the upgradation of the Foothills Road , following a high-level consultative meeting with tribal bodies in Dimapur.
The decision was taken at an extended meeting held at Hotel Saramati, where representatives of apex tribal hohos and other stakeholders unanimously urged the committee to keep the phase-wise agitation-earlier scheduled to begin from April 15, in abeyance for the time being.
While agreeing to defer the protest, the committee said it would continue to function as a "watchdog" over the proposed upgradation of the Foothills Road into a two-lane national highway, particularly in the context of the No Objection Certificate (NOC) issued by apex tribal organisations.
The NFHRCC also raised concerns over financial transparency and called on the state government to publicly clarify the revised administrative approval of Rs 430.77 crore earmarked for the project.
Even as it paused its agitation, the committee cautioned that protests could be revived if the government fails to adequately address the concerns and expectations of the Naga public.
The development comes amid increasing scrutiny over the long-delayed Foothills Road project, widely regarded as a key infrastructure initiative in Nagaland.