Compensation only way for Railways to acquire land, says landowners in Dimapur
Railway Affected Land Owners Association (RALOA) has stated that land compensation is the only solution to the problem presented before the Railway authorities in Dimapur
- DIMAPUR — The
Railway Affected Land Owners Association (RALOA) has stated that land
compensation is the only solution to the problem presented before the Railway
authorities in Dimapur.
- In a press statement issued on Friday, the association maintained
that the Railways has repeatedly failed to provide any land requisition or
acquisition order sought by the court.
- “The department has no locus standi to claim the ownership
of land in Nagaland. Out of approximately 8 km of railway line extending between
Rangapahar and Khatkati presently occupied by Railways, some areas fall under
village lands (non-cadastral) and some belong to genuine pattadars (cadastral).
In other words, there is no Railways land in Nagaland,” the statement read.
- It claimed that instead of exploring a viable solution “in
its right perspective” to expand and upgrade the Dimapur Railway Station, the
North Frontier Railways (NFR) is blaming the landowners for land encroachment,
“which smells nothing short of finding ways and means to avoid paying land
compensation to the genuine landowners.”
- According to the landowners, the Airport Authority,
paramilitary, military, or any other central forces and departments are
occupying land or executing their works either on payment of land compensation
or on lease (subject to extension).
- The same yardstick, it stated, applied to the Railways, too.
“Through this press release, the landowners are willing to make their stand
very clear. They are not totally against giving away their land/properties.
However, they are prepared to concede only at the behest of Railways agreeing
to offer land compensation as per the Indian Railway Act (i.e., twice the
actual land/property valuation).
- “Dimapur Railway Station has been the second-highest
revenue-earning station in the Northeast, next to Guwahati Railway Station.
Over the years, it has contributed immensely to the national income. Hence,
payment of land compensation need not be burdensome for the concerned
department. The association considers this as the only means of finding any
amicable solution between the Railways and the aggrieved landowners,” it
stated.
