21 hours ago
NHIDCL scraps contract for Aizwal tunnel project over security concerns
Aizawl: The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) has cancelled a key consultancy contract for supervising the construction of a 2.5km twin-tube tunnel on the eastern Aizawl Bypass, following a joint venture's failure to secure mandatory national security clearance from the ministry of home affairs.
The contract, which was awarded on April 29 to a joint venture led by railway PSU Rail India Technical and Economic Service (RITES) Limited in collaboration with Turkish partners, was scrapped last week after multiple reminders from the NHIDCL failed to elicit the required documentation. Officials said the security clearance was critical due to the tunnel's strategic location on NH-6, a lifeline in the northeastern region vulnerable to landslides and floods.
The move comes close on the heels of India's cross-border military Operation Sindoor and reflects a broader shift in India's infrastructure policy — one that increasingly weighs foreign firms' geopolitical associations. Turkey's perceived alignment with Pakistan is understood to have raised red flags during the vetting process.
According to official documents, NHIDCL had written to the joint venture on May 28, instructing them to furnish security clearance certificates. With no response forthcoming, the cancellation was done 'with immediate effect' on national security grounds. The project, which entails authority engineering services for the critical tunnel, will now be re-tendered or awarded to a fully vetted Indian firm, potentially delaying progress by up to a year.
A senior official involved in the review said, "Any infrastructure in proximity to international borders or strategic terrain must meet strict security protocols. This is not just procedural — it's non-negotiable."
