Nagaland gets Centre's nod to use 1965 law for NH-202 land acquisition

The Union government has allowed Nagaland to undertake land acquisition under the Nagaland Land (Requisition and Acquisition) Act, 1965, for the widening of National Highway-202, removing a key hurdle for the road project, Deputy Chief Minister T R Zeliang said.

Zeliang said the decision was taken following a meeting with senior officials of the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) in New Delhi on Wednesday. The meeting also reviewed proposals for widening NH-329A, NH-702A and the Foothill Road.

Land acquisition had been a major issue for the projects, with differences over whether the process should be undertaken under the National Highways Act, 1956, or Nagaland's 1965 land acquisition law. The state government had expressed reservations about using the central legislation, citing the constitutional safeguards provided to Nagaland under Article 371(A).

The meeting also discussed the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for NH-202. According to Zeliang, MoRTH agreed to accept the DPR already submitted by the state despite certain technical deficiencies. Necessary modifications will be carried out in consultation with the state-appointed consultant and MoRTH engineers.

The decision will also avoid the appointment of a new DPR consultant, which could have necessitated fresh surveys and delayed the project by several months, Zeliang said.

The proposed widening of NH-202 is expected to improve road connectivity in Tuensang, Shamator and Kiphire districts, where deteriorated road conditions have been a longstanding concern. The highway upgrade is expected to facilitate movement and improve connectivity to these districts.

Article 371(A) provides special constitutional safeguards to Nagaland, particularly in matters relating to Naga customary law, social practices and ownership and transfer of land and its resources.