Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio urged the Central Government to expedite various projects that have been pending for some time in the state of Nagaland. The pending projects are Greenfield Airport at Ciethu, Foothill Road and the Dimapur-Tizit Railway line along the foothills.
Participatingat the 5th governing council meeting of the NITI Aayog in New Delhi,Rio informed that the Ciethu Airport was proposed in 2003 but even after feasibilitysurveys and studies by various central agencies and preparation of DPR, theproject was still pending. He also pointed out that the project might becostlier than other airports in the country but that was primarily due to theterrain and amount of earth cutting needed. He also informed that the villagersof the area were prepared to give additional land for which the stategovernment had consented to bear the cost.
Talking aboutthe 400 km Foothill Road, Rio said that it would improve connectivity and boosteconomic activity across the state. He also highlighted the need to expandrailways in the state as expeditious sanction of the project.