Minister in charge of Transport, Paiwang Konyak has assured that the department will give all efforts to see that the Dimapur-Tizit railway line project is being taken up at the earliest. He said this today while replying to the starred question asked by A. Nyamnyei Konyak, MLA on the proposed railway line being kept in abeyance on the second day of the ongoing 4th Session of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly.

The minister in charge informed that no fund was allocated for the project till date. He also said that the commencement date can only be decided after completion of Final Location Survey and sanctioning of detailed project report (DPR). Highlighting on the three observations made by the department, he said the railway project from Dimapur to Tizit which was approved in 2013 was granted one time token of an amount of 4274 crore rupees earmarked and approved.  He said, this was submitted by the Railway Board to the Planning Commission in 2013, now the NITI Aayog, for final approval.

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Maintaining that the Dimapur to Tizit railway line not being a national project while a railway line is running parallel to the present railway from Dimapur to Tinsukia, Paiwang said there has been apprehension on the low volume of passengers and low revenue return in the proposed rail line.

He also informed that the Railway Ministry has communicated with the Transport Department proposing Nagaland to bear 50 percent of the cost of the project. To this, Paiwang asserted that at the present juncture, it would be a huge amount and difficult for the State to agree.

He also added that the Ministry has asked the state to provide land free of cost and following the request, local MLAs of the concerned areas held a discussion with the tribal leaders of the affected areas. Paiwang informed that the Mon district tribal hobos affirmed not to charge any compensation for routes passing through the forest land but opined that those developed areas may be compensated, while Mokokchung land owners categorised two compensation – that underdeveloped areas forest land can be compensated, and developed areas should be compensated in category wise. For Wokha district, the Lotha Hoho opposed the parallel rail line under its jurisdiction while for Dimapur and Longleng districts, the report is awaited by the members and the department.

Meanwhile, MLA Nyamnyei emphasised the importance of railway, air, road and communication connectivity, stating development would only take place if these infrastructures are put in place.

Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton asserted that the Lotha Hoho has not opposed to the proposed railway line, but demanded for the completion of the Foothill Road first and thereafter the rail line.

Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio also noted that connectivity is the most important component for any growth and development of the people.  Rio also said he is not aware that the Dimapur-Tizit railway line project has been kept in abeyance. “Only today I am made aware of the project keep in abeyance”, he added. The Chief Minister however said, he will look it and pursue the matter. He noted railway line would be constructed within Nagaland.  Rio said railway and road connectivity will make a massive change and transform a state’s economy and society and assured that all activities would be taken up.