FRIDAY, JUNE 20, 2025
Court cases and encroachers threaten to derail Dimapur Railway Station project
At least 40 court cases and more than a thousand alleged encroachers are threatening to derail the proposed transformation of Dimapur Railway Station into a world-class facility under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
Published on Mar 6, 2025
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- KOHIMA — At least 40 court cases and more than a thousand alleged encroachers are threatening to derail the proposed transformation of Dimapur Railway Station into a world-class facility under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme.
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- Replying to the starred question raised by MLA Nuklutoshi, Minister in charge of Transport, Paiwang Konyak, informed that the Union Ministry of Railways had allocated INR 283 crore for developing Dimapur Railway Station in 2024.
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- He said that the project involves two phases: the front of the station as phase 1 and the rear section as phase 2.
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- “But it is very unfortunate that there are 92 encroachers in phase 1 and 1067 encroachers in phase 2. And also, there are 40 court cases—39 under Dimapur District Judge and one in the Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench,” he informed.
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- He also replied that the land patta could not be cancelled and no eviction was carried out as land occupants have taken the case to court.
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- Paiwang informed that the required fund for the project has been sanctioned by the Railway Ministry, and it is slated to start by March this year.
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- He stated that with the pending cases, the proposed projects may get stalled, and the possibility of diverting earmarked funds cannot be ruled out. Thus, in order to avoid such instances, the Railways and the government of Nagaland have decided to start the work on land under the possession of Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR), “and the land issue will be tackled along with the progress of the work.”
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- He explained that wherever there are no encroachments, work will start, “tender has been worked out, and the work will progress.”
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- To resolve the issue, he shared that the government has taken many initiatives. He recalled that on April 27, 2023, during a meeting between the general manager of NFR and Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio, they had decided that since Nagaland falls under the special status state, NFR would devise a plan to compensate the land/properties wherever required so that development activities are not hampered.
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- After that meeting, he said that a spot verification was carried out and “land development/upgradation of Dimapur Railway Station was made, and they carried out the land survey as per the decision taken.”
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- According to him, the tentative land cost and structure damage cost came to INR 132 crore, but NFR expressed its inability to compensate the amount. So the department called for a consultative meeting on January 9, 2025, and it was decided that NFR will submit the list of encroachers along with patta documents under the modernisation master plan, he shared.
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- Paiwang said that upon submission, a joint survey was conducted and a report was submitted to the state government “and a directive for further course of action was decided.”
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- In view of the prolonged occupation by encroachers, coupled with the Railways’ inability to protect its land and the special status of Nagaland under Article 371(A), the resettlement plan proposed by the government must be considered by the Railways and compensate for the land, he stated.
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- Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio lamented that Nagaland is facing problems in almost all development projects because of land issues. He, therefore, sought cooperation from the landowners.
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- He reiterated that Article 371(A) gives protection to Nagas but its provisions have been used to create “our own problems.” He said that the landowners should not impose their own rate or price.
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- On the issue of encroachment at Dimapur Railway Station, he said that there are some people who got the land patta as per the rules, but many pattas were issued in contradiction to prescribed guidelines.
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- Further, he suggested that looking for resettlement will be a better option; otherwise,” if we go for land compensation, we cannot pay the market rate or the full amount.”
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- “They have to give up their demands, if not fully. They should be absolutely reasonable to pave way for the interest of the state,” he said.
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- Rio reminded the house that with public support, they must resolve the Dimapur Railway Station issue. “If people do not cooperate, then government has to take stringent measures,” he said.
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- MLA Nuklutoshi also lamented that several development projects in the state have been cancelled because of the “foolishness” of the Nagas. He cited the stalled project for expansion of Dimapur Airport due to land issues, extraction of natural gas and oil ‘by Assam,’ and the Dimapur Railway Station issue to drive home his point.
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- Nuklutoshi, along with fellow MLA Pangjung Jamir, requested the state government to extend the Tuli Railway Station for another 10-20 km towards Tuli town.
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- Nuklutoshi opined that the land encroachment issue of Dimapur Railway Station, which has been taken to court, might take years. So if it fails to achieve a positive outcome, he suggested that “instead of diverting the funds to other states for developing railway stations, why not divert the funds to expand the Tuli Railway Station?”
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- Paiwang informed that, at present, the Amguri to Tuli train is only ferrying goods as the passenger service has stopped because of the NFR citing low revenue return.
- He stated that the department has been consistently approaching the NFR to resume the passenger service from Amguri to Tuli, which was carried out in 2022 to 2025. And with the revival of the Paper Mill, he informed that the government has been approaching the NFR to start the passenger service.
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- According to him, the distance from Amguri to Tuli is 14.65 km, and the distance from Tuli to Tuli town is 9.5 km, and that the NFR has sent a proposal to the government to extend the railway line from Tuli to Tuli town on the condition that the state government shares the cost of construction.
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- “But the government has refused to share the amount of construction because the amount is high with an estimated project cost of INR 109.25 crore in 2010,” he said.
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- Paiwang said that the government will ensure the programme is taken up with the ministry and the desire of the people is fulfilled.
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- Pangjung Jamir, representative of Tuli constituency, stated that the reason for low revenue from the passenger train is because of ‘improper destination and very odd timing.’
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- He requested the state government for approval of resuming the passenger train services from Tuli to Dimapur at the earliest and also to provide more advanced facilities at Tuli Railway Station.
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- He shared that at present the Tuli Railway Station is located in an isolated place and is about five kilometres away from the nearest town, making it very difficult for the commuters. Thus, he requested the government to extend the Tuli Railway Station.
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- Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio shared that in the year 2011-12, at his request, the railway line from Tuli to Dimapur was approved by the Union Ministry of Railways, and every year there is a budget provision because the Railway Ministry promised that if given land free of cost, they will take up the project immediately.
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- However, he said that when he came to discuss with the people, they said that unless Foothills Road is completed, they are not willing to give the land free of cost.
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- “Tuli to Dimapur railway line is already approved,” he said, adding that they will take up the issue again. “It is high time we develop Nagaland Trans Highway (Foothills Road), develop a railway, and then economic activities will start,” he stated.
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- He requested the landowners to give permission and present no objections.
Nagaland Districts
