FCC

Nagaland Clarifies Land Acquisition Status for NH-29 Road Project

2025-07-23

In response to news reports published on 17 July concerning the land acquisition process for the ongoing road construction at CH 126, Tsiedukhru (Pagla Pahar) along National Highway 29, the Office of the Commissioner, Nagaland, issued a detailed clarification to present the accurate chronological sequence of events and the current status of the project.

The statement, dated 18 July, affirmed that the land acquisition process has been meticulously conducted following established norms and procedures. It outlined the key developments as follows:

A joint survey for land acquisition was conducted on 13 December 2024.
The land acquisition proposal was submitted to the Government on 10 February 2025.
The Tourism Department issued its No Objection Certificate (NOC) on 25 March 2025.
The State Government submitted the approved proposal to NHIDCL’s Regional Office in Kohima on 11 April 2025.
On 22 May 2025, NHIDCL PMU-Dimapur raised objections concerning acquisition of Government (Tourism Department) land and Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) utility shifting estimates.
The Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Chumoukedima submitted clarifications and revised PHED estimates in response.
A joint meeting was held on 20 May 2025, considering the approaching monsoon, and it was decided to issue an NOC to NHIDCL to begin work.
Consequently, DC Chumoukedima issued the NOC on 20 May 2025, permitting NHIDCL to commence construction at CH 126.
Compensation for land acquisition was received on 2 July 2025, which included full compensation for the Tourism Department (covering land cost and forest damages) and 80 per cent of utility shifting compensation for PHED.
Payments were disbursed to both PHED and the Tourism Department.
The Executive Engineer of PHED Urban Division, Dimapur, granted clearance to NHIDCL for hill cutting at CH 126.

Despite these developments, the Office of the Commissioner clarified that construction work has not yet commenced at CH 126, Tsiedukhru (Pagla Pahar).