The Central government has sanctioned Rs 2.83 billion (Rs 2.83 bn) for the modernisation of the 123-year-old Dimapur railway station in Nagaland, a state minister informed the assembly. The facility, inaugurated in 1903, serves as the main rail hub for Nagaland and is located about 70 km from the state capital, Kohima. The funds are intended to upgrade passenger amenities, improve infrastructure and support future rail expansion in the region.

The minister indicated that the station remains the second highest revenue earning station in the north east region and that both the concerned department and landowners have written to the Ministry of Railways seeking compensation, for which a response is awaited. The state government has called for an amicable settlement of land related issues to ensure the project proceeds without delay.

The chief minister noted that the station predates the formation of Nagaland as a state and that constitutional provisions relating to land ownership did not exist when the railway occupied and measured the land for rail purposes. He observed that encroachments increased over the years while administrative authorities regularised some areas, complicating the present situation and requiring constructive dialogue between the state and Indian Railways. The chief minister urged that compensation demands should not be set at excessively high rates to avoid obstructing development.

A local legislator warned of negligence by stakeholders and said three options remain: payment of compensation, forceful eviction, or relocation of the station, while acknowledging ongoing rail expansion towards Kohima and other areas. He suggested those new stations would be smaller and that Dimapur would continue to serve as the principal station for the state, and the assembly discussion highlighted land issues as the main hurdle to facilitate the modernisation project. The issue was debated during the assembly's eighth session earlier on Monday.