Amit Shah to visit Mizoram in August, says CM Lalduhoma

Aizawl:  Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit Mizoram next month to take stock of the proposed relocation of Assam Rifles' base from the hearth of Aizawl to Zokhawsang on the outskirts of the state capital, Chief Minister Lalduhoma said on Thursday.

He informed the joint meeting of important officials of the state government and Assam Rifles over the shifting of Assam Rifles' base that he discussed the matter with Shah during his visit to the national capital in June last.

“A decision to shift Assam Rifles' base from Aizawl to Zokhawsang has been taken already. We are committed to shifting the headquarters to the designated place. I am coming to Aizawl to inspect steps taken towards shifting the Assam Rifles' base,” Lalduhoma quoted Shah as saying during the joint meeting.

He said that the joint meeting was convened to review the steps that have been taken so far and to discuss the next steps to be taken for shifting the Assam Rifles battalion headquarters from Aizawl to Zokhawsang in the eastern outskirts of the state capital.

Officials of the state home and other departments informed the meeting about infrastructure development that had taken place at Zokhawsang for the relocation of the Assam Rifles battalion headquarters.

Assam Rifles officials on their part, told the meeting that some existing infrastructures or facilities, including magazine building and firing point, have to be shifted to another area within the Zokhawsang complex due to the ongoing construction of a new road to be used by farmers, who practice cultivation near Zokhawsang.

The new road passes through the Assam Rifles area at Zokhawsang.

Assam Rifles also raised the issue of the internal road within the Zokhawsang complex, water supply and electric transformer during the joint meeting.

The meeting decided to conduct a joint inspection to expedite the shifting of some infrastructures which will be affected by the ongoing construction of the new road.

The Assam rifles officials, however, were told to take responsibility for repairing internal roads and electric transformers as the facilities had been handed over to the paramilitary force five years before.

The Assam Rifles battalion headquarters at Zokhawsang was inaugurated by the Union Home Minister on April 1 last year.