A mega-city vision

For any city to develop and thrive, certain foundations are indispensable such as- reliable connectivity by road, rail, and air. Also a city must sustain a functional and evolving trading system that allows goods, capital, and services to move freely. It must nurture a pool of skilled and semi-skilled citizens who drive economic activity. Despite possessing these advantages, Dimapur has not grown in any meaningful sense for more than three decades. The stagnation began in the 1990s, after factions asserted authority over the city, compounded by the unchecked proliferation of nearly two hundred unions and organisations. Since then, Dimapur has remained locked in a state of arrested development. The state government must wake up and realise that neglecting development of Dimapur in favour of building a new city project will give Diphu, barely 38 kms away, the time it needs to close the development gap and overtake Dimapur. Diphu is emerging as an urban centre due to clearer planning, stronger governance, and a government that has articulated a concrete development blueprint. Proposed investments include major sports infrastructure, flyovers, medical and engineering colleges, and even plans for a greenfield airport to improve regional connectivity. These initiatives are steadily positioning Diphu as a future growth hub. The implications for Dimapur are serious. If Diphu continues to expand and Bokajan develops as an alternative to Dimapur railway station due to land encroachment, Dimapur will be reduced to a minor waiting point as its capacity to expand is choked. Yet amid this dysfunction, one crucial factor offers hope. Years of hardship, uncertainty, and neglect have created a rare readiness among Dimapur’s entrepreneurs to accept change, even if it involves struggle and sacrifice. The inhabitants too share this collective willingness, which is the most valuable asset the city possesses. Dimapur stands at a critical juncture where a single, well-conceived intervention could redefine its urban future. This comes in the form of the availability of a large and strategically located parcel of land, measuring close to one lakh square metres in the area of the Naga Shopping Arcade. If developed with vision and professionalism, this site could become the nucleus for the transformation of Dimapur and growth of a tri-city that would greatly impact the socio-economy of Nagaland. However, current plans point in the opposite direction. Portions of the shopping arcade are being dismantled, and if the intent appears to be to rebuild another cluster of conventional stalls probably with advance from tenants or financers, the loss will be irreparable. This land is far too valuable to be reduced to another fragmented market. Repeating outdated models under the guise of redevelopment would squander space and foreclose the possibility of meaningful transformation. What is needed instead is integrated urban planning. A thoughtfully designed expansion at this site could absorb a significant portion of Dimapur’s traffic congestion through structured parking for at least a thousand vehicles. It could accommodate a modern shopping mall, a five-star hotel, a regulated wet market, ethnic and cultural stalls, a public promenade, and corporate office spaces. Residential apartments for professionals would complete a live-work ecosystem rather than a disconnected commercial sprawl. The economic benefits would be immediate and far-reaching. Several hundred direct jobs would be created, alongside many indirect opportunities for local youth, entrepreneurs, and small businesses. The ripple effects would extend beyond central Dimapur into East Dimapur, eventually drawing Chümoukedima into an expanding urban continuum. Over time, these areas could evolve into a single integrated tri- megacity, a genuine economic and administrative hub for Nagaland. The government must do what is needed for the to pushback efforts to make Diphu better and more developed than Dimapur. If the vision for Dimapur is articulated and pursued with sincerity, its transformation can reclaim its role as Nagaland’s gateway city, not only in geography, but in opportunity, dignity, and growth.