Kaladan Mukti Modal Transit Transport road, which is currently under construction in Mizoram, has adversely affected land owners along its route of construction.
The road is being built to connect south Mizoram’s Lawngthai district with Myanmar.
The affected landowners on Tuesday launched an indefinite road blockade demanding immediate compensation for their damaged property.
A representative of the Lawngthai District Land Owners Association (LDLOA) said on Monday that the people have yet to be compensated for their property.
The Public Works Department (PWD), who looks after the construction of the cross border road, is planning to finish the construction by the end of this year.
However, a leader of LDLOA said, “We have been waiting to be compensated for our properties for the past nine years; the Government has been constantly giving a deaf ear to our demands for which we have launched the indefinite road blockade along the border road to pressurize the Government.”
The member of the LDLOA also claimed that once the construction of the road is complete, it will be very difficult for them to claim their compensation from the Government.
“Despite repeatedly appealing, the State as well as Central Government has done nothing to release our compensations,” he further added.
Apart from the road blockade, the land owners association has also appealed to RDS Private Limited and Atlanta ARSS, the two companies involved in the construction of the highway to stop construction until their demand are met with.
The Kaladan Mukti Modal Transit Transport Project was launched by the UPA Government in 2008 as a part of their ‘Look East’ policy.
The project is executed under a framework agreement signed by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) with the Government of Myanmar.
Once completed, the cross border road will ease communication between India and Myanmar and also be beneficial to boost trade in both the regions.