The Nagaland Tree Planters’ Association (NTPA) has lauded the Government of Nagaland for its “bold and commendable action” in conducting the recent eviction drive at Diphupar to reclaim encroached airport land, stating that the move “sends a clear message that the rule of law will not be compromised and that public infrastructure will be safeguarded against unlawful occupation.”
In a press release issued by its Media Cell, the NTPA further urged the government to extend the same “immediate and unflinching intervention” to what it termed a long-neglected but pressing issue: land encroachment in and around the Dimapur Railway Station.
“It is a matter of public record,” the Association stated, “that a large swathe of railway compensated land has been illegally occupied by private individuals and businesses.” It cited the presence of “multi-storey buildings, commercial godowns, petrol pumps, and other unauthorized constructions” which it said were encroaching upon critical railway infrastructure and undermining “not just development plans, but the very integrity of our public assets.”
The NTPA also highlighted a sensitive concern regarding religious structures. “Further compounding the issue is the construction of religious structures including entire institutions on land already compensated for railway use. While the NTPA maintains unwavering respect for all religions, the law must remain supreme,” it said, emphasizing that “public land, especially land compensated and demarcated for infrastructure cannot and must not be held hostage to unauthorized religious or commercial use.”
“These structures must be vacated or dismantled without delay, as per the law,” the statement added.
The Association also expressed “grave concern” over the disappearance of the former railway loading point near the old Dimapur Town Committee office, which it noted historically connected to the present Army depot. “This site was actively used during the 1980s and 1990s for the loading of public goods and played a vital role in regional transportation,” the NTPA said. “The loss of this infrastructure is not merely a matter of local interest but it represents the erosion of a strategic national asset.”
With the Dimapur Railway Station “poised for major upgradation to a first-class station,” the NTPA stressed that “the urgency to reclaim every inch of encroached land cannot be overstated.”
Calling for decisive action, the NTPA demanded that the Government of Nagaland “initiate a comprehensive, impartial and time-bound eviction drive targeting all illegal constructions on railway compensated land and adjacent public property.”
“This appeal transcends politics, religion, or regional bias,” the Association maintained. “It is a call to uphold justice, accountability, and the rightful use of public resources. The future of our infrastructure, our environment, and our shared progress must not be sacrificed to vested interests and unlawful occupation.”
“The people of Nagaland deserve better, Dimapur deserves better. And the law deserves to be enforced without fear or favour,” the statement added.