Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Aizawl: Landowners along the Sihhmui-Muallungthu stretch of the Aizawl Bypass Road plan to halt all construction work starting November 1. The Aizawl Bypass Road Western Side Land Owners Welfare Association issued the ultimatum following a September 26 meeting. They demand the government resolve payment issues by the end of October.
The project falls under the Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for North East Region and carries a Rs 500 crore budget. Association members claim 348 landowners are affected, yet the government hides the list of recipients and payment totals. They also accused the state Public Works Department of providing false data in response to Right to Information queries.
The group disputes government claims regarding unpaid debts. "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 stated. They insist the state release a second instalment of Rs 7.4 crore immediately.
Beyond cash payments, the association wants a public list of beneficiaries and their exact payouts. They demand land measurements for those holding a Land Settlement Certificate instead of cash. Other grievances include unpaid claims for stone quarry owners, improper dumping of excavated earth, and destruction of crops caused by construction slides. State officials remained silent despite multiple requests for comment.
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