After 11 years, Assam government clears compensation for 834 families hit by East–West Corridor project

More than a decade after losing her orchards and livelihood to the construction of the Silchar–Saurashtra East–West Corridor four-lane National Highway, a woman from Dima Hasao can finally breathe a sigh of relief. A crucial decision taken by the Assam Cabinet under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma has paved the way for long-pending compensation to hundreds of affected families.

The highway project, which cuts through Dima Hasao—one of Assam’s prominent hill districts—had resulted in the destruction of agricultural land and homes belonging to 834 families across 28 villages stretching from Nirimangla to Harengajao. Entire communities were left devastated as farmlands vanished, houses were dismantled, and traditional sources of income disappeared overnight.

On December 7, the Cabinet approved compensation for all 834 affected families, rekindling hope in a region that has spent 11 years in uncertainty.

One of the worst-affected residents, a woman who lost her orange, tangerine, and lemon orchards, recounted her long struggle. Her orchards had been the main source of income for her family—produce she once sold in markets to sustain daily life. After the construction work destroyed her plantation, she was left with no livelihood and was forced to work in other households to survive.

Her personal struggles intensified when her husband fell seriously ill. Unable to afford his medication due to the loss of income, she faced the added trauma of his eventual death. Surrounded by discouragement and told repeatedly that she would never receive compensation, she continued her fight for justice.

Today, after more than a decade of hardship, she says she finally sees light at the end of the tunnel. She expressed gratitude to Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sharma and Indigenous Students’ Forum president David Kevam, who spearheaded the compensation movement for 11 years.

Describing the Cabinet’s decision as “life-changing,” she said the long-awaited move has brought renewed happiness and dignity to her life and to hundreds of others who suffered similar losses.