Guwahati: The Nagaland Tree Planters’ Association (NTPA) has urged the state government to take immediate and decisive action against the long-ignored issue of illegal land encroachment in and around the Dimapur railway station.
In a strongly worded statement, NTPA revealed that several individuals and businesses had unlawfully occupied vast stretches of railway-compensated land.
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The association noted that private entities had constructed multi-storey buildings, commercial warehouses, petrol pumps, and other unauthorized structures on land meant for public infrastructure, severely hampering development efforts and compromising public property.
NTPA also raised concerns about the construction of religious institutions on land already compensated for railway use. While reaffirming its respect for all faiths, the association emphasized that legal boundaries must be upheld. It called for the immediate removal or demolition of all unauthorized constructions, regardless of their religious or commercial nature, citing the primacy of the law.
The association expressed particular alarm over the complete encroachment of the former railway loading point near the old Dimapur Town Committee office, a location that once served as a vital link to the current army depot. NTPA recalled that this site played a critical role in regional logistics during the 1980s and 1990s, and described its loss as the erosion of a valuable national asset.
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With plans underway to upgrade Dimapur railway station to a first-class facility, NTPA asserted that reclaiming every inch of encroached land is more urgent than ever. The association warned that continued inaction would jeopardize not only infrastructure development but also public trust in governance.
Calling for a firm, unbiased, and time-bound eviction campaign, NTPA urged the Nagaland government to target all illegal constructions built on railway-compensated and adjacent public land. The association clarified that no political, religious, or local interests drove this demand; instead, a shared responsibility to protect public assets and uphold the rule of law motivated it.
NTPA also praised the state government’s recent eviction drive at Diphupar, where authorities successfully reclaimed encroached airport land.
The association said the action sent a strong and necessary message: the authorities will not tolerate the unlawful occupation of public infrastructure.
Reinforcing its call for justice and accountability, NTPA insisted that the people of Dimapur and Nagaland deserve infrastructure development grounded in law, fairness, and transparency. It concluded by asserting that the government must act now to preserve the future of public resources for generations to come.