Kohima, Mar 24: The Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has called for urgent discussions between the Railway Board and the state government to address land ownership disputes that are delaying the expansion of Dimapur railway station.

During a meeting of the Divisional Railway Users Consultative Committee (DRUCC) in Lumding, Assam, on March 21, Akuonuo Miachieo, a DRUCC member, raised several concerns affecting the Dimapur-Kohima railway project. Miachieo highlighted that large portions of railway land in Dimapur have been encroached upon by private settlers, leading to legal disputes and compensation demands, which have hindered the station’s expansion.

Miachieo also stressed the strategic importance of Dimapur and suggested extending the halt time for trains to 15-20 minutes, as the current stop time of just 2-5 minutes causes inconvenience to passengers. She pointed out that limited parking space at the station often results in train delays, particularly in Assam.

Further, Miachieo raised security concerns at construction sites, particularly at tunnels no. 6 and 7 near Tsiepama village, urging enhanced security measures to protect workers and ensure the smooth progress of the project.

She also called for the fast-tracking of land acquisition and timely fund releases to avoid further delays and cost escalations in the construction of tunnels, road over bridges (ROBs), and road under bridges (RUBs). Contractors have faced reimbursement delays due to rising costs, further affecting progress.

Finally, Miachieo emphasized the urgent need for an improved ticketing system to ease congestion at Dimapur station, highlighting the growing demand for increased ticket allotment and seating capacity.