Synopsis
Union Home Minister Amit Shah will officially oversee the transfer of Assam Rifles facilities from Aizawl to Zokhawsang on March 15. The Mizoram government has long advocated this change for better land utilization. This agreement was signed on October 23, initiating the relocation process.Key Takeaways
- Relocation of Assam Rifles to Zokhawsang on March 15.
- Mizoram government has sought this change since 1988.
- A formal agreement was signed last October.
- HM Shah will visit Mizoram during a three-day tour.
- Infrastructure readiness previously delayed the move.
Aizawl, March 12 (NationPress) The long-awaited relocation of Assam Rifles facilities from Aizawl to Zokhawsang will be officially executed by Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his visit to Mizoram on March 15, as confirmed by an official on Wednesday.
A representative from the Mizoram government stated that since 1988, the state has been advocating for the transfer of Assam Rifles establishments to Zokhawsang, which is approximately 15 km from Aizawl, the state capital.
The government is eager to repurpose the land currently occupied by Assam Rifles facilities for a variety of other uses.
HM Shah, who is scheduled for a three-day tour of Assam from March 14 to 16, will make a day-long visit to Mizoram on March 15 to participate in the event associated with this relocation.
He will return to Guwahati later that day following the ceremony.
After prolonged discussions, the Mizoram government and Assam Rifles signed a formal agreement on October 23 of the previous year in New Delhi to facilitate the movement of the paramilitary force's facilities from the city center to the designated battalion complex at Zokhawsang.
The agreement is set to take effect in April of this year, allowing the country's oldest paramilitary force to vacate its main barrack complex, AR Ground or Lammual, unit hospital, Loch House, guard quarters, and other establishments across various locations in the state capital, relocating them to Zokhawsang.
Under this agreement, Assam Rifles will maintain its 23 Sector Headquarters, Mizoram Range, located in Aizawl's Khatla area (95.88 acres) and the DIG residence near Raj Bhavan in Tuikhuahtlang (0.85 acre). The demand for the relocation of the Assam Rifles complex was initially raised in 1988 by the then Mizo National Front (MNF) government, led by former chief minister Laldenga, following an incident where the paramilitary force was alleged to have caused the deaths of 11 civilians during a violent confrontation.
In February 2019, the Union Home Ministry instructed the paramilitary force to complete the transition to Zokhawsang by May 31 of that year. However, the move was postponed as Assam Rifles claimed that the necessary infrastructure was not ready at that time. The Zokhawsang complex was inaugurated by Home Minister Shah in April 2023.
