Kohima: A new parliamentary report exposes deep failures in the Dimapur-Kohima rail project. The Public Accounts Committee says bad planning and government overcharging are crushing progress. The 52nd Report of the PAC, presented on August 4, hits the Nagaland government for a mandatory 8 percent establishment charge on land acquisition. Railways rules allow only 4 percent. This discrepancy led to Rs 18.72 crore in irregular payments. The state government claims it is standard policy, but the PAC wants the Ministry of Home Affairs to step in.
Geology poses a massive threat. Inspectors found ongoing land movement in Tunnels 7 and 10 as recently as September 2025. Tunnel 7 is the longest at 6.1 km. It sits at Tsephama village and work started in November 2025. Officials defended their survey work, but the committee remains unconvinced. The PAC noted that initial alignment decisions lacked the level of comprehensive geological investigation and mapping demanded by the terrain.
Contract management is a mess. Out of 42 time extensions since 2015, only one resulted in a penalty. Most delays were blamed on landslides, local strikes, or the pandemic. These slow-downs added Rs 42.38 crore in price variation costs. The project cost has ballooned from Rs 850 crore in 2006-07 to Rs 6,663.20 crore by May 2022.
Progress remains sluggish. As of December 2025, crews finished just 31.339 km of the 78.42-km line. While Phase 1 is done, the later phases face shifting deadlines ranging from 2027 to 2029. The report demands better accountability, tighter procurement rules, and a move toward domestic equipment to cut reliance on imports.
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