Compensation stir will halt Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project

Aizawl, Mar 21, 2018(UNI): Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project has faced a deadlock, landowners from a southern Mizoram town of Lawngtlai, who claimed 50 crore compensation have threatened a complete and indefinite blockade.

While Mizoram is inching closer to the rest of India with a new road linking it to Myanmar, and onward to Kolkata, the multi crore international project has been facing the ire of the locals, whom the government has failed to pay them their rightful share of compensation.

Lawngtlai District Land Owners Association has resolved to shutdown the ongoing work completely starting April 1. A meeting of the landowners held at Lawngtlai on Wednesday has unanimously declared that work relating to Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project would be stopped indefinitely.

“We have waited nine years to get our rightful share, our lands are being cut, our houses being dismantled, not to mention the numerous community halls and churches sliced away for the completion of the project,” said H Remmawia, president of Lawngtlai District Land Owners Association.

The Kaladan Multi-Modal Transit Transport Project will connect the eastern Indian seaport of Kolkata with Sittwe seaport in Rakhine State, Myanmar by sea. It will then link Sittwe seaport to Paletwa, Chin State via the Kaladan river boat route, and then from Paletwa by road to Mizoram. The project was scheduled to be completed by 2014.

“There are 303 approved compensation claims amounting to Rs 50 crores, for nine years the state government has been giving us promises after promises, an expert committee which will approve the claims needs to be constituted but till date the state government is yet to constitute,” H Remmawia added.

“From April 1, we will organise an indefinite blockade, each member of the association will assemble at their own land as a part of our demonstration,” H Remmawia said.

The project is being piloted and funded by the Ministry of External Affairs. The preliminary feasibility studies were carried out by Rail India Technical and Economic Services.
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