Shillong: Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K Sangma on Friday assured the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly that the government would establish a railway line only after taking everyone on board.
Sangma was responding to a question from the Nongpoh MLA Mayralborn Syiem, who asked about the status of Meghalaya’s railway line.
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) government was working on the Tetelia – Byrnihat line, but work stalled due to stiff opposition from pressure groups. The Tetelia-Byrnihat railway line is supposed to be 21.50 km long of which 19.25 km will be in Assam, and only 2.25 km will be in Meghalaya.
Sangma recalled that in the past, there had been attempts to move forward with the railway line in Meghalaya, and there had been several discussions with NGOs and also with the GoI.
According to Sangma, a few years ago, the government engaged in a discussion with pressure groups if the goods train could be set up since it will benefit the state. “ It would have helped Meghalaya during the COVID-19 pandemic time also…,” said Sangma.
He mentioned that there was a form of agreement with the pressure groups after understanding the benefits of having a goods train.
However, the state government has witnessed strong resentment against passenger trains, and the NGOs wanted some mechanism to check the movement of people at the station to control the influx of illegal immigrants.
The chief minister explained that the state government then appealed to the Central Government to set up a checking point at Mendipathar station, the only railway station in Meghalaya. Currently, one passenger train operates from there.
But despite setting up a checkpoint, they could not move forward because of other issues like MRSSA, CAA and ILP which diverted the talks, stated Sangma.
BJP MLA AL Hek also mentioned that the union minister of the Railway Ministry had sent a general manager of the railway in charge of NE to find out why the project is not seeing any progress.
The chief minister acknowledged that the General Manager from the railways wanted to survey but locals had prevented it.
Nongpoh MLA Mayralborn Syiem while emphasising that the railways are a lifeline for the economy of the state and country said that they have to keep in mind the sensitivity of the issue of the indigenous people in the state.
The minister-in-charge of Transport Dasakhiat Lamare said the state government is facing immense pressure from GOI to move forward. The CM also backed the transport minister by assuring the House that even though the government desires to go ahead with the setting up of railway lines, it will only do so when they have everyone’s consent.
Talking about compensation paid to landowners for the Tetelia-Byrnihat railway line, Syiem asked if a no-objection certificate (NOC) was taken from Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council. Lamare responded that it wasn’t required because this project dates back several years and during that time there was no NOC required from KHADC.
About Rs 17 crore had been paid as compensation to landowners only for the land acquisition under the Tetelia -Byrnihat Sector.
The transport minister also informed that earlier there was a survey for Khasi and Jaintia region but it wasn’t carried forward due to opposition from locals.
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