Land Encroachment and Connectivity in Nagaland

After years of delay due to several factors, despite issuing eviction notices since 2019, the government of Nagaland finally carried out an eviction drive recently to reclaim approximately 17.9 acres of illegally encroached land at Dimapur Airport. As many as 24 structures were dismantled during the drive, and the Special Investigation Team (SIT), which was formed to investigate the issue, has filed chargesheets against 31 individuals, including six public servants, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including charges of criminal conspiracy, cheating, and forgery. This action followed the Gauhati High Court quashing the temporary injunction granted to the encroachers by lower courts. The delay has hindered the potential expansion and development of the lone airport in the state. The government should have taken action much earlier, but it’s better late than never. Having cleared the land from private individuals, the concerned authorities should now expedite the process of acquiring the land occupied by the Assam Rifles and CRPF to the AAI to pave the way for the airport's expansion.

Dimapur railway station is another crucial public facility that requires swift action from the state government. The Union Ministry of Railways is said to have allocated INR 283 crore to transform the Dimapur railway station into a world-class facility under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme, but more than a thousand alleged encroachers are threatening to derail it. The project is currently stalled amid dozens of pending cases related to land encroachment. To avoid the possible diversion of funds earmarked for the project, which would be a significant loss for the state, the court should prioritise the cases related to it and pave the way for the government to take necessary action.

The state deserves good connectivity, whether by air, rail, or road. Driven by economic growth, the state has witnessed a significant increase in passenger traffic over the years. The tourism sector has taken a giant leap, with thousands of tourists, both domestic and international, visiting the state throughout the year, although the famed 10-day annual cultural extravaganza—the Hornbill Festival—remains the main attraction. Popular agricultural produce from the state, such as the Naga King chilli and Nagaland Coffee, is also being exported to other Indian states and foreign countries too. However, discussions about boosting tourism and trade in the state are hollow without good air and land connectivity. Most political leaders and dignitaries from the centre talk about the state’s potential, particularly in tourism, but turn a blind eye to the dire road conditions in the state, particularly in the interior areas. If the centre is serious about the development of the state, priority should be given to building all-weather roads and upgrading the state’s lone airport to an international airport.