Assembly Discusses Land Hurdles in Rs 283 Cr Dimapur Station Modernisation

Kohima: The Rs 283-crore modernisation of Dimapur Railway Station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme came under discussion during the Eighth Session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly on Monday, with legislators stressing the urgent need to resolve land disputes that could affect the implementation of the project. Local news app Discover more Local tea coffee varieties Traditional clothing textiles Political history books The issue was raised by MLA Nuklutoshi, who said there had been negligence from several stakeholders and questioned why the Northeast Frontier Railway had remained silent for years while illegal constructions came up on railway land. He said three possible options remain: paying compensation to settlers for resettlement, carrying out forceful eviction, or shifting the railway station to a new location. Responding to it, Health minister P Pawang Konyak informed the House that the central government had sanctioned Rs 283 crore for the modernisation of the station. The master plan for the the modernisation was approved on Janury 11, 2024 and the work began on July 25, 2025. Handicraft marketplace Northeast The work has been awarded to M/s AR Joint Venture, a joint venture of M/s ABCI Infrastructures Pvt Ltd & M/s Ramacivii Inida Construction Pvt Ltd, Guwahati. He informed that Dimapur station is the second-highest revenue-earning railway station in the Northeast region. Work for two towers of staff quarter foundation and office building foundation are under progress, and a Relay Battery Generator (R-B-G) building is completed. Konyak informed the House that both the concerned department and landowners have written to the Ministry of Railways seeking compensation, and are currently awaiting a response. Participating in the discussion, Neiphiu Rio, Chief Minister of Nagaland, stressed the need for an amicable settlement of land issues surrounding the station, saying the state cannot afford to lose the opportunity to develop and expand the key rail hub. MSME growth workshops Rio noted that Dimapur Railway Station, inaugurated in 1903, is more than 120 years old and predates the formation of Nagaland as a state in 1963. At that time, he said that certain constitutional provisions relating to land ownership in the state did not exist, and railway authorities had already occupied and measured land for railway purposes long before the state came into being. The chief minister also observed that while railway authorities remained largely silent over the years, encroachments gradually increased. He added that administrative authorities had regularised some of these encroachments over time, which has further complicated the situation. Rio said constructive dialogue between the state government and Indian Railways would be necessary to reach an amicable solution, particularly regarding compensation or other arrangements for landowners. However, he cautioned of compensation demands that were being made at double the estimated rate. Indian legal advice While railway expansion projects towards Kohima and other areas are underway, he noted that those stations would be comparatively smaller and that Dimapur would continue to serve as the state’s main railway station. Also Read | Nagaland govt notifies reconstitution of village councils Related WhatsApp Facebook X LinkedIn Share @media ( min-width: 250px ){.newspack_global_ad.sidebar_article-2{min-height: 100px;}} Trending Stories How rail link is transforming Mizoram’s economy How women are redefining conservation leadership in Nagaland Two fish discovered in Nagaland named after late researcher’s children Assam: Rare Siberian Bird draws birders from across India to Dhemaji Kaalrav 2026 ends at Sikkim Manipal, draws 500 students from over 10 colleges Sikkim: Gurudongmar Lake tourism resumes after 887 days since GLOF Latest Stories Assembly discusses land hurdles in Rs 283 cr Dimapur station modernisation 3 hours ago Nagaland govt notifies reconstitution of village councils 3 hours ago Proposed Integrated Check Post could boost trade with Southeast Asia: Manipur MLA 4 hours ago Nagaland Police recruitment: 80 posts remain vacant after physical test 4 hours ago Tripura: Left enters Tripura ADC poll battle with over 70% freshers 6 hours ago Nagaland: Four new model colleges sanctioned under PM-USHA 7 hours ago