By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Travelling to Guwahati from Mendipather will be a one-hour affair once this East Garo Hills town finds a place in the country’s railway map.
The work for the much-awaited railway line in Mendipather has already started and since there is no opposition from any quarters the project is expected to be completed by 2013.
Talking to The Shillong Times here on Thursday, East Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner Pravin Bakshi said, “Work for the railway project between Dudhnoi to Mendipather is going on in full swing.”
Around 65.09 hectares of land has already been handed over to the authorities of the Northeast Frontier Railways for the 19.47 km broad gauge line.
“It will be a single line and a railway station would also be constructed at Mendipather,” Bakshi said.
It is learnt that the initial cost for the ambitious project was estimated at Rs. 86.22 crore but the revised cost has escalated to Rs. 144 crore.
Informing that the 80 per cent of total compensation amount had been paid to the land owners by the NF Railway, the Deputy Commissioner said, “The process of releasing the remaining 20 per cent amount will begin from Friday and it will continue after the New Year.” The areas to covered by the railway track are Nolbari-Deuripara , Boromiapara , Chotomiapara , Mataranga , Manikganj , Horingkata , Bakenang-Tilapara and Mendipathar . “There is no opposition to the project except a few people who are getting restless for their compensation money, but Government has to follow certain procedures for the compensation,” Bakshi said.
There are a total number of 39 bridges dotted through the track out of which construction of 9 bridges has already been completed.