KOHIMA :  The Centre has allowed Nagaland to use the state’s Nagaland Land (Requisition and Acquisition) Act, 1965 for acquiring land required for the widening of National Highway-202, removing a major hurdle to the road project, Deputy Chief Minister T R Zeliang said.

Zeliang said the decision followed a meeting with senior officials of the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) in New Delhi on Wednesday. The meeting also reviewed proposals for widening NH-329A and NH-702A, besides the Foothill Road project.

Land acquisition had emerged as a key challenge for the projects, with differences over whether acquisition should be carried out under the National Highways Act, 1956, or Nagaland’s own 1965 legislation.

The Nagaland government had opposed the use of the central law, citing the constitutional protections granted to the state under Article 371(A), particularly over ownership and transfer of land and its resources.

NH-202 DPR accepted

The meeting also discussed the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for NH-202. According to Zeliang, MoRTH agreed to accept the DPR submitted earlier by the state despite certain technical shortcomings. Necessary modifications will be made in consultation with the state-appointed consultant and MoRTH engineers, he said.

The decision is expected to prevent further delays that could have resulted from appointing a new DPR consultant. Zeliang said a fresh consultant would have required new surveys and potentially delayed the project by several months.

The proposed widening of NH-202 is expected to improve connectivity in Tuensang, Shamator and Kiphire districts, where poor road conditions have remained a longstanding concern. The upgraded highway is expected to facilitate the movement of people and goods while strengthening connectivity with the eastern districts of the state.

Article 371(A) at centre of land issue

The dispute over the applicable land acquisition law was linked to Nagaland’s special constitutional status under Article 371(A). The provision provides safeguards concerning Naga customary law and social practices, as well as the ownership and transfer of land and its resources.

The Centre’s approval to use the state’s 1965 land law is therefore expected to facilitate the acquisition process while addressing the state government’s concerns over the application of central legislation.

Zeliang said the latest decision would help clear a major procedural obstacle and enable authorities to move ahead with the NH-202 widening project.