Nagaland: Landowners of 7 villages protest NH-702 realignment decision

DIMAPUR — Landowners from seven villages along NH-702 have voiced opposition to Nagaland government’s recent decision to realign the highway to Option-3, announced during a high-level meeting on August 28.

In a press release, the affected landowners from Sowa village, Sowa Changle village, Longchang village, Longchang Hongnyu village, Longchang town, Mohung village, and Mohung Changai village expressed dissatisfaction over what they described as an "unjustified" decision that failed to consider the concerns of the local stakeholders.

They pointed out that the Konyak Union’s Longchang unit, which represents the area directly impacted by the highway realignment, was not invited to the meeting, and that their concerns were ignored.

Also read: Nagaland government finalises NH-702 alignment; option 3 chosen as technically superior route

They also lamented the lack of meaningful discussions with Konyak Union, the MLA of 47 Aboi constituency, and local administration despite repeated representations.

The landowners rejected the deputy chief minister's depiction of the decision as a "win-win" for all parties involved, terming it instead a "win-lose" outcome.

They announced that they would not issue a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for the realignment to Option-3, as they believe the original alignment (Option-1) is critical for maintaining vital connectivity in Mon district.

The affected landowners stated that they have urged NHIDCL to refrain from denotifying the stretch from Longchang to Tenyak Bridge, in accordance with a letter from the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) dated August 4, 2023. They warned that no compromise should be made under political pressures regarding border roads.

Further, the landowners warned that if their voices continued to be ignored, they would resort to democratic protest within their jurisdiction until a just solution was reached.