Landowners in Mizoram’s Kolasib district have called off their nine-hour blockade of National Highway-306, following assurances from the state government to address their grievances. The blockade, which began at 6 am on Wednesday, was lifted after the district’s Deputy Commissioner promised to urge the state government to resolve the land ownership issues and withdraw the freezing order on their lands.

The Kolasib District Land Owners’ Association (KDLOA) had called for an indefinite blockade of NH-306, demanding the state government to resolve land ownership issues and withdraw the freezing order on their lands, which they claim are privately owned. The association alleged that their lands along NH-306 and NH-6 had been frozen by the state forest department since 2020, after being designated as Roadside Reserve Forest (RRF) based on a 1965 notification.

The state government assured the landowners that it would take steps to address their concerns and repeal the RRF notification of 1965. This comes after the Supreme Court directed the Gauhati High Court to decide on the appeal to repeal the notification within three months. The apex court also suggested that the Mizoram Chief Secretary convene a meeting with the secretaries of the state forest and revenue departments to resolve the dispute.

Despite the blockade, the state’s connectivity with the rest of the country remained unaffected, as vehicles continued to ply on the national highway during the agitation. A large number of police personnel were deployed at the protesting site to ensure traffic movement remained unaffected.