Court injunction stalls Dimapur’s railway work

DIMAPUR, AUGUST 18 : Development work on the Dimapur Railway Station involving widening of a pair of railway lines have been held up due to a ‘status quo’ order passed by the district court following a case filed by a group of individuals who were reportedly evicted by the railway authorities.

The information was offered by the divisional railway manager of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR, Lumding), Pankaj Jain, on Thursday. The official was in Dimapur on August 18 to inspect the condition of Dimapur Railway Station.
Addressing media persons, Jain said that around 50 households who had encroached onto railway land were evicted in a ‘proper manner’ along with magistrates and police in 2014. However, around 15-16 households who were in possession of land deeds ‘illegally issued by the state government’ filed a case in the court which subsequently ordered a ‘status quo’ leading to the entire work to be caught in a snag.

With already eight to nine hearings, Jain said that the state government is to submit a written statement to the court regarding its position on the case by August 31, 2016.

The NFR official also said that the ‘severe financial crunch’ of the state government between the years 2009-2012 was the reason behind the slow development of the station. Now, he said, their only concern was for the court case to be ‘resigned’ so that development work for Dimapur Railway Station can ‘progress.’

For this reason the railway authorities have urged the Zonal Railway Users’ Consultative Committee (ZRUCC) and the Divisional Railway Users’ Consultative Committee (DRUCC) to help the railways with its ‘land problems.’

Emphasising on the development of Dimapur Railway Station, Jain assured ‘cleanliness of Dimapur railway station’ a priority especially for the Nagaland Express and the BG Express which starts at Dimapur. However, the only concern in the way of maintaining cleanliness is the water supply system. Jain remarked that there was no water supply from Dimapur station ‘so it had to be done only after reaching Lumding station and this is one issue which has to be looked into.’

Jain also pointed out several other developmental activities that have been taken up at the Dimapur Railway Station such as installing two water coolers, construction of retiring rooms, upper-class AC halls, opening of Unreserved Ticketing System (UTS) centre, and dustbins etc.

Further, Jain said that the railways have a long-term plan to shift the current goods yard to Rangapahar with initiation from the state government to develop the roads.

Earlier Pankaj Jain inaugurated the upper-class AC waiting hall at the station.

Reward for best suggestion:

The NFR has announced a ‘reward’ for the ‘best suggestion’ to improving passenger amenities and one that give a facelift to Dimapur Railway Station. They have also sought suggestions that offer a ‘local touch’ so that people would have a ‘feel of Nagaland at Dimapur station.’

The railways have sought suggestions from individuals, NGOs, entrepreneurs, and civic authorities. The suggestions may be accompanied by photographs and drawings, if required. They are to be submitted to the divisional railway manager, Lumding NF Railway, or e-mailed at dimapurrail@gmail.com by August 30, 2016.