Dimapur project under cloud

For over a decade, this newspaper has consistently highlighted the neglect and step-motherly treatment meted out to Dimapur by the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR). Despite being a vital rail hub and the second-highest revenue earner for NFR, Dimapur has been persistently overlooked in matters of development and infrastructure. Compounding this indifference is the inaction of the state government, which has failed to fulfill its responsibility of clearing encroached railway land, thus stalling much-needed expansion and modernization efforts. Years of sustained reporting did eventually draw the attention of civil society organizations (CSOs) and, in turn, nudged the NFR to take note. As a result, Dimapur was included in the ambitious 283 crore Amrit Bharat Station Scheme in August 2023. This redevelopment plan promises to transform the station into a world-class facility with expanded infrastructure and modern passenger amenities. The plan is that the current 5,160 square meter station building needs to grow to an impressive 17,484 square meters, featuring spacious waiting areas, food plazas, green energy installations like solar panels, and sustainable solutions such as rainwater harvesting. However, the shadow of past neglect looms large. When compared to smaller and newer stations across the region, the infrastructural gap in Dimapur is glaring. Other smaller stations have more platforms and better facilities but the fault for being deprived lies mainly with the neglect by NFR and ignorance by the public of Dimapur. Even now, the fate of the redevelopment hangs in the balance due to unresolved land issues. Of the 53.806 hectares designated for the station, 30.283 hectares remain under unauthorized occupation. In a meeting held in May, NFR officials candidly informed the Naga Council Dimapur (NCD) that unless this much land is reclaimed, the283 crore project risks being reduced to superficial cosmetic upgrades. It may also be pointed out that as per the Supreme Court order on December 16,2021, the Indian Railways is “equally responsible” for ensuring that there is no encroachment on its properties and it must initiate action against unauthorised occupants immediately after the issue is brought to its notice. The need for expansion is pressing. With only two platforms-of which only Platform No 1 covered with a canopy and Platform No.2 is without a canopy, Dimapur is ill-equipped to handle the daily passenger volume of over 10,000. Again, just 2,000 tickets are made available at the station counter, leaving many commuters underserved. Despite the demand, train services have seen a reduction rather than growth. In view of huge passenger volume the Jan Shatabdi initially connected Dimapur with Guwahati as per the scheme to link all state capitals. NFR extended it to Furkating then Jorhat by 1998. In 1998 the BG Express was introduced between Guwahati-Dimapur while in 2011 the Nagaland Express was introduced at Dimapur. In 2020, the BG Express was shifted to Mariani and Nagaland Express to Ledo under the plea of Covid-19 pandemic and never restored. It is unfortunate that while other state governments actively lobby for improved connectivity, Nagaland’s state leadership appears passive. Land acquisition has stalled over compensation disputes, with some demands reportedly exorbitant. But this impasse must be resolved swiftly if the state is to retain the full scope of the redevelopment project. The risk of funds being diverted to other stations in Assam is real and imminent.