Another blockade along Kohima-Jessami NH-29 over compensation delay

DIMAPUR — Aggrieved landowners affected by the Kohima-Jessami 2-lane road construction project, covering Packages 2 to 5 from Sedzu Bridge (37+050) to Lanye Bridge (117+100), have resorted to blocking National Highway-29 in protest against the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) over the alleged failure to provide compensation for property damages caused by road construction activities since 2021.

In a press release issued on Sunday, the landowners accused the NHIDCL of inaction and employing “delay tactics” despite their continuous engagement with five deputy commissioners and four executive directors of NHIDCL over the past four years. The landowners said they had also approached civil society organisations and MLAs to resolve the matter but to no avail.

“The time and money spent running from post to pillar over these years have been enormous, causing significant emotional and financial distress among the affected individuals and families,” the press release stated.

According to the aggrieved landowners, the damages were caused during physical earth-cutting activities, leaving many without proper homes and some residing in structures now on the verge of collapse, putting their families’ lives at risk. They alleged that NHIDCL has shown “blatant disregard” for the humanitarian crisis and “failed to uphold its responsibilities towards those affected by the construction project.”

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Highlighting the long history of the issue, the landowners claimed that NHIDCL has shifted its position multiple times—from stating that a policy was required to pay compensation to later asserting that no such policy was needed as per contractual agreements, to citing insurance coverage, and finally reverting to the original stance that a policy is necessary.

They further alleged that NHIDCL’s contradictory positions amount to a deliberate tactic to delay compensation. “The wilful intention to make the aggrieved landowners suffer for such a prolonged period is a clear violation of their rights,” the statement read.

The landowners also said the continuous neglect and lack of empathy displayed by NHIDCL towards those affected had forced them to take this drastic step, urging the authorities to address their grievances without further delay. They accused NHIDCL of treating state government officials as “pawns,” adding that despite the state government’s detailed verifications, estimates, and approvals being submitted on three occasions as per the agency’s requirements, these efforts were not considered sufficient grounds for making the final compensation payment.

Frustrated by the lack of progress, the landowners announced that they have decided to block NH-29, specifically from Packages 2 to 5 on the Kohima-Jessami 2-lane road, halting all NHIDCL-related works and activities as a “last resort” to draw attention to their grievances.

They also criticised NHIDCL for what they described as “step-motherly treatment,” pointing out that in other road projects such as the Kohima-Dimapur 4-lane and the Phek-Pfutsero 2-lane, compensations for structures outside the Right of Way (ROW) were paid, and questioned why similar treatment is not being extended in their case.

The landowners called on NHIDCL to resolve the pending compensation issue without further delay and find a “mutually acceptable solution,” asserting that the blockade will remain in place until their demands are met.