DIMAPUR, March 8 (MExN): All India Congress Committee (AICC) Minority Department National Coordinator and Nagaland Congress leader Rajesh Kumar Sethi has urged for an inclusive and practical approach to the proposed modernisation of Dimapur Railway Station.
In a statement issued in response to discussions in the Nagaland Legislative Assembly, Sethi welcomed the initiative to upgrade Dimapur Railway Station into a world-class facility, acknowledging its potential to enhance infrastructure and connectivity in Nagaland. However, he expressed deep concern over the eviction notices served to long-standing communities residing in the area.
"The people who have lived and worked in the area for over a century have played a crucial role in Dimapur’s development. Labeling them as encroachers and displacing them in the name of progress is unjust and unacceptable," he stated.
He further questioned the Nagaland government’s decision to cancel land ownership documents (Pattas) that had been previously issued to stakeholders. "The government must first acknowledge its own accountability — who authorised these Pattas, and why is no action being taken against the officials responsible?" Sethi said.
He also accused the government of unfairly shifting the burden onto the people, forcing them to suffer and relocate instead of holding its officers accountable for mismanagement. "This is nothing but an attempt to cover administrative failures at the cost of citizens’ rights and livelihoods," he added.
Alternative station
Meanwhile, proposing a solution, Sethi recommended constructing a new Dimapur Railway Station near Rangapahar. He highlighted the benefits of such a move, stating that a new station would stimulate infrastructure growth, attract investments, create business opportunities, boost the local economy by generating employment through its construction and operation, prevent distress among families and business owners by avoiding mass evictions and demolitions, and ease pressure on the existing station, enhancing passenger convenience and operational efficiency.
He also called for urgent upgrades at the current Dimapur Railway Station, citing long-pending demands. He emphasised the installation of escalators to facilitate the movement of senior citizens, women, and differently-abled passengers between platforms, the broadening of Platforms 2 & 3 by removing a track to enhance passenger safety and comfort, and the complete roofing over Platforms 2 & 3 to shield passengers from harsh weather conditions.
Sethi called on the authorities to adopt a people-centric approach to development, one that safeguards the rights and livelihoods of Dimapur’s long-standing communities, asserting that progress must not come at the cost of displacement and hardship.
