On 22 January 2026, the Ukhrul District Administration carried out an eviction drive at Litan Sareikhong along National Highway 202. The eviction drive, in coordination with apex civil society organisations, including the Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL) and Tangkhul Shanao Long (TSL), was a result of years of inconvenience faced by commuters due to pending road expansion work on the Imphal–Ukhrul stretch.
Ukhrul Deputy Commissioner Asish Das said that while most of the sanctioned compensation had already been released, the road expansion work continued to face delays as some affected families refused to vacate the encroached areas, seeking additional compensation beyond what had been approved. He added that the issue remained unresolved for nearly four to five years, during which the condition of the road caused persistent hardship for daily commuters. The eviction drive was reportedly the first such exercise undertaken in the history of Ukhrul district.
Ukhrul Deputy Commissioner said, "The eviction drive was initially launched in August 2025, but following requests from local residents, the administration extended the deadline by five months." He added that even after the extended period, the affected families failed to clear the road.
Stating that the district administration had repeatedly issued notices to the affected parties, with the latest notification served on 7 January 2026, non-compliance with these directives compelled authorities to proceed with the eviction drive. Das further appealed to the public for cooperation as the eviction process continues in the coming days.
Speaking on the matter, Tangkhul Naga Long vice-president RS Jollyson informed that nearly 20 houses located along an approximately 800-metre stretch from Litan fell within the road expansion zone. He too had urged the affected families to dismantle and vacate voluntarily to avoid the need for forced eviction.
The road expansion project between Yaingangpokpi and Finch Corner began around March 2020 with an initial completion timeline of about 20 months, but it remains incomplete even after nearly five to six years.
The Ukhrul Deputy Commissioner has now said the project is being targeted for completion by March this year.
In February 2026, the NH-202 Development Committee, representing the affected villages of Hungpung, Shangshak Phunghon, Shangshak Khullen, and Hatha, announced a 72-hour total blockade of National Highway 202 starting the morning of February 4.
Community leaders have expressed deep frustration over stalled construction and the non-payment of land compensation. They revealed that land acquisition processes have been completed and awards declared under Sections 3D and 3G of the National Highways Act, yet compensation has not been released to affected landowners. They say that landowners are currently unable to farm, build, or develop their property due to the pending highway works, effectively stifling their livelihoods. Consequently, the committee is demanding the mandatory 12 percent per annum interest from the date of the 3D publication until the 3G award, requesting an immediate recalculation due to these extensive delays.
The committee has appealed for immediate administrative intervention to: a) execute time-bound payments to all affected landowners; b) provide a transparent status update on the Rs 16.37 crore sanctioned for Package-4; c)Issue official notices to landowners to end the climate of fear and uncertainty; and d) transition Package-4 from minor repairs to a full-fledged EPC contract.
Eno. Yangmi Khapai, convenor of NH-202 development Committee revealed that a formal representation was submitted to the Deputy Commissioner of Ukhrul on 28 January 2026, seeking immediate intervention. However, despite repeated appeals over the years, no tangible progress has been made.
Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Complaint against procedural violations
Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community
Region Classification
Rural
Type of Land
Common
Non-Forest (Other than Grazing Land)
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)
Status of Project
Original Project Deadline
Whether the Project has been Delayed
Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users
Residential area
Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict
Source/Reference
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
Type of investment:
Year of Estimation
Has the Conflict Ended?
No
When did it end?
Why did the conflict end?
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Land Acquisition Laws
Legislations/Policies Involved
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute
Yes
What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?
What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?
Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:
Forced evictions/dispossession of land
Legal Status:
Out of Court
Status of Case In Court
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
Name of the adjudicatory body
Name(s) of the Court(s)
Case Number
Main Reasoning/Decision of court
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
Reported Details of the Violation:
Date of Violation
Location of Violation
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
Ukhrul District Administration
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
Tangkhul Naga Long (TNL), Tangkhul Shanao Long (TSL)
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?
Emilo is pursuing her PhD in Political Science at the North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong. Her primary research areas include human and land rights and gender issues.
