The Against Corruption and Unabated Taxation (ACAUT) Nagaland has criticized the state government for its “lack of commitment” in assisting the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) in redeveloping Dimapur Railway Station into a world-class facility.
In a press release, ACAUT stated that despite the allocation of Rs. 283 crore for the project, the “transformation project at Dimapur Railway Station,” which was scheduled to begin by April 30, 2024, has faced delays due to the government’s inability to evict illegal settlers.
The press release expressed concern that “the proposed start of the project was probably rescheduled.”
ACAUT pointed out that the Dimapur Railway Station has been neglected for decades despite it handling “nearly ten thousand passengers both incoming and outgoing” and being a significant revenue generator, earning the “second highest revenue for the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR).”
It was also recalled that Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the redevelopment of 508 railway stations across the country on August 6, 2023. This ambitious project, with an estimated cost of Rs. 1 lakh crore, includes Dimapur Railway Station. ACAUT emphasized that the project is expected to “revolutionize the passenger experience” with modern amenities and improved traffic circulation, but these benefits remain elusive due to the “unavailability of land for redevelopment and expansion of Railway facilities.
“Reportedly, land encroachment started decades back,” and according to NFR officials, “30.283 hectares out of 53.806 hectares of railway land is encroached in Dimapur.” ACAUT highlighted that despite this issue being long-standing, the state government has been unable to evict “illegal encroachers” or make alternative arrangements with NFR. The press release stressed that the government should either “compensate or shift the Dimapur Railway Station elsewhere towards Thahekhu Block-7 or beyond” if expanding the current station proves impossible.
“Reportedly, NFR has approached the state government and still awaiting Government’s plan for next course of action,” ACAUT revealed. Furthermore, it also added that the “detailed joint survey of the encroached land is not done till date,” contributing to continued delays.
ACAUT warned that this “inordinate delay and unavailability of land” could lead NFR to cancel the redevelopment project or “divert the proposed development to a nearby station in Assam.” Should this happen, Dimapur Railway Station would be reduced to “a mere transit station,” forcing the public to travel to Assam to board trains. Local businesses would also suffer, as they would need to “travel to Assam for loading and unloading goods,” leading to “significant losses for the people living in Nagaland,” ACAUT said.
ACAUT further pointed out that the redevelopment scheme aims not only to improve the convenience of passengers but also to create hundreds of local jobs. However, it cautioned that this potential may be lost due to the “government’s inaction,” which could result in “another desperate failure.” The organization stressed that it is “imperative for the government of the day to uphold the Rule of Law” and deliver justice “without fear or favour.”
In light of the above, ACAUT Nagaland said it “strongly urges the Government of Nagaland to immediately begin eviction of illegal encroachers, demolish unauthorized structures, and hand over the land to Indian Railways.”