From Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi: Chances of opening up of the Maheshkhola-Ramnahpur route on the Indo-Bangladesh border in South Garo Hills and establishment of Land Customs Station (LCS) to facilitate exports to Bangladesh looks bright with the Centre giving a preliminary go ahead for the project.
The Union Ministry of Commerce has conveyed its ‘No Objection’ for opening of the Maheshkhola LCS in Meghalaya along the Indo-Bangladesh border as per the recommendation of the State Government.
This was informed to the Union Minister of State for Rural Development, Agatha Sangma, who had taken up the matter with the Centre.
“In view of the State Government’s recommendations and availability of infrastructure, the Ministry of Commerce has no objection for opening of Maheshkhola LCS in Meghalaya at India-Bangladesh Border,” an official communication to Agatha said.
It has also asked the concerned department to assess if existing infrastructure would enable functions of LCS, and if not then to prepare estimates for possible funding from the Centre.
Incidentally, members of the Maheshkhola Tribal Coal Association, had, earlier met Agatha and stated that they were waiting for the opening of the route for the last ten years.
There were two meeting with the Bangladesh Government at Shillong and Sylhet during which the former had given its consent to open this route.
In the absence of the LCS, lots of coal, broomstick and other exporting material are going to waste in the villages due to lack of proper place to depose the material, the Association had said.
Meghalaya has as many as eight functioning LCSs and proposed to open two more in Kuliang (Jaintia Hils) and Lew Thymmai (East Khasi Hills) besides the one in Maheshkhola.