Aizawl bypass landowners threaten to halt construction from Nov 1 over compensation

Landowners affected by the Sihhmui-Muallungthu stretch of the Aizawl Bypass Road have threatened to halt further construction from November 1 if the Mizoram government fails to address their demands by the end of October.

The Aizawl Bypass Road Western Side Land Owners Welfare Association said the decision was taken at a meeting on September 26.

The bypass project, being implemented under the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region (PM-DevINE), covers the western side of Aizawl from Sihhmui to Muallungthu. The project was sanctioned with an allocation of Rs 500 crore.

Addressing reporters at a press conference on Tuesday, association members alleged irregularities and a lack of transparency in the payment of compensation to landowners affected by the project.

They claimed around 348 landowners were affected by the stretch but said details of beneficiaries and the compensation amounts paid had not been made public.

The association also alleged that the state Public Works Department's response to queries filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act was incorrect.

“While the PWD has reportedly stated that 17 people are yet to receive compensation and that only Rs 98.3 lakh remains to be distributed, more than 100 landowners were still awaiting payment,” the association said.

The landowners demanded that the second instalment of Rs 7.4 crore be released before the end of October, failing which they would halt further construction from November 1.

They also sought publication of a complete list of compensation recipients along with the amounts paid to each beneficiary.

The association demanded immediate land measurements for landowners who had opted for a Land Settlement Certificate (LSC) instead of compensation.

It further sought settlement of claims raised by stone quarry owners affected by the project and proper disposal of excavated earth at designated dumping sites.

The landowners also demanded compensation for crops and plantations damaged by landslides or earth dumped during construction.

The association said it had raised the issues over compensation, land measurement and construction-related impacts and warned that construction would be stopped if the demands were not addressed by the October deadline.

Despite repeated attempts, government officials could not be contacted for their response to the allegations.