The proposed modernization of Dimapur Railway Station under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme has been delayed due to issues related to land compensation, Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio informed the Nagaland Legislative Assembly.The matter was raised during the Question Hour on the third day of the eighth session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly. Responding to a starred question from NPP legislator Nuklutoshi, the chief minister said that development projects in the state often face delays because of land-related complications.Rio told the House that Dimapur Railway Station, the only major railway station in Nagaland, has been selected for upgradation into an international-standard facility under the Amrit Bharat Station Scheme. The Government of India has sanctioned Rs 283 crore for the project. However, the work has not progressed because the required land for the project has not been made available so far.Raising the issue, Nuklutoshi questioned why the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) had remained silent for several years despite illegal constructions coming up on railway land. He pointed out that more than 600 families were reportedly occupying railway land in the area and alleged that action was taken only after the issue was highlighted in media reports.
It was also mentioned during the discussion that most of the families occupying the railway land were reportedly non-Nagas.Responding to the concerns, Rio explained that Dimapur Railway Station was established in 1903, long before Nagaland became a state. He said that the railway authorities had measured the land much earlier, even before the existence of Article 371(A). Over time, however, encroachments increased while authorities remained largely inactive. Later, certain administrative bodies began regularising some of the encroachments by issuing pattas.The chief minister suggested that a joint meeting with railway authorities could help find a practical solution. He said compensation should be provided to landowners but added that the amount demanded by some parties was excessively high. Rio also stressed the importance of upgrading Dimapur Railway Station. He said that although railway expansion projects are planned towards Kohima and Imphal, those stations will be smaller and Dimapur will continue to serve as the main railway gateway for the region.
Taking part in the discussion, Health and Family Welfare Minister Paiwang Konyak said the modernization of Dimapur Railway Station should not be viewed as a controversial matter. He said the state government, the concerned department and the Northeast Frontier Railway were working together to resolve the land-related issues.Konyak also informed the House that Dimapur Railway Station is the second-highest revenue earning railway station in the Northeast region.He further said that a joint survey was conducted in December 2025 to identify landowners within railway-occupied areas where buildings and other structures had come up. According to him, the department later informed the Northeast Frontier Railway that the landowners were willing to part with their land if they were compensated for both the land and the structures at double the actual land value.Following the survey, a letter was sent to the Ministry of Railways regarding the compensation issue and the state government is currently awaiting a response from the Centre. In a supplementary question, Nuklutoshi said the matter had become controversial because of blame being shifted between authorities and those occupying the land. He urged the government to resolve the issue at the earliest and suggested that steps should be taken to ensure the sanctioned funds for the project are not diverted to other states due to delays.
