All India Congress Committee Minority Department National Coordinator and Nagaland Congress leader Rajesh Kumar Sethi in a statement stated in response to Railway matter discussed in Nagaland Assembly yesterday – The proposal to modernize Dimapur Railway Station into a world-class facility is a welcome initiative aimed at improving infrastructure and connectivity in Nagaland.
However, the method being adopted—issuing eviction notices and uprooting long-established communities—raises serious concerns.
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.
Sethi mentioned, It is highly concerning that the Government of Nagaland, after issuing Pattas (land ownership documents) to stakeholders, is now asking for their cancellation.
The government must first acknowledge its own accountability—who authorized these Pattas, and why is no action being taken against the officials responsible? Instead of holding its officers accountable for mismanagement, the government is unfairly shifting the burden onto the people, forcing them to suffer and relocate.
This is nothing but an attempt to cover administrative failures at the cost of citizens’ rights and livelihoods.
Sethi said, A More Practical Alternative is to have A New Dimapur Railway Station somewhere near Rangapahar.
Sethi urged Instead of investing substantial resources in demolitions and compensation, the authorities should consider establishing a New Dimapur Railway Station at an alternative site. This would:
- Encourage Urban Expansion – A new station in a different location would drive infrastructure development, attract investments, and create new business opportunities.
- Generate Employment – The construction and operation of a new railway station would create jobs, boosting the local economy.
- Minimize Social and Financial Hardships – Avoiding mass evictions and demolitions would prevent distress among families and business owners while ensuring a more sustainable approach to development.
- Reduce Congestion – A second railway station would help decongest the existing one, improving efficiency and passenger convenience.
Sethi also mentioned Immediate Improvements Needed at the Existing Dimapur Station
While discussions on a new station progress, authorities must urgently upgrade basic facilities at the existing Dimapur Railway Station which is a long pending demands:
- Installation of Escalators for easy movement between platforms, especially for senior citizens, women, and differently-abled individuals.
- Broadening of Platforms 2 & 3 by removing one track to enhance passenger safety and comfort.
- Complete Roofing Over Platforms 2 & 3 to protect passengers from harsh weather conditions.
These improvements are long overdue and should not be delayed further.
Nagaland Congress leader Rajesh Kumar Sethi urges the authorities to take a balanced, people-centric approach to development—one that prioritizes the well-being of the communities that have built and sustained Dimapur for generations.
Progress must not come at the cost of displacement and hardship.
Rajesh Kumar Sethi
Nagaland Congress Leader & National Coordinator, AICC Minority Department Incharge of Manipur