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Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma has expressed confidence that the long-awaited widening of a national highway will soon begin, with compensation for affected landowners expected to be resolved shortly as central funds are anticipated. The Indian government has agreed to allocate ?1,190 crore to compensate both the state forest department and landowners for the project, which involves the expansion of NH-6 and NH-306 into four lanes.
This national highway serves as a crucial lifeline for Mizoram, linking the northeastern state to the rest of India via Assam. Although the central government approved the widening project several years ago, implementation has been stalled due to disputes over land ownership and compensation.
Returning to Aizawl after a week-long visit to the national capital, Lalduhoma reported participating in review meetings on highways led by Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari. He also addressed the challenges hindering the projects progress, particularly the complex compensation issues.
The chief minister highlighted ongoing conflicts over land rights, noting that the forest department classifies certain areas adjacent to the highway as roadside reserve forest. However, many landowners contest this claim, asserting legal ownership of the land based on tax payments and valid documentation.
Lalduhoma emphasized the necessity of a fair compensation strategy for both parties to facilitate the project’s commencement. He revealed that Gadkari has agreed to allocate ?90 crore to the forest department and ?1,100 crore to landowners, marking a significant development in the project’s execution.
Last month, over 2,000 landowners along NH-6 and NH-306 organized demonstrations, demanding resolutions to land ownership disputes. With the recent commitment from the central government, the state government hopes to overcome these long-standing issues and initiate the highway widening work soon. |
