By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The State is all set to realize its railway dream as a railway station will come up at Mendipathar, East Garo Hills shortly to facilitate the entry of goods train in the area. The State does not have a railhead or a railway station till date as efforts to construct the rail line here has been opposed by the NGOs citing influx.
The laying of foundation stone for construction of a railway station by Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma on Saturday will pave way for easy transportation of goods in the near future as now the state depends on trucks to carry goods.
The Chief Minister told reporters on Wednesday that the arrival of train to the state will help the farmers to export and import perishable commodities.
The East Garo Hills district administration had handed over 65.09 hectares of land to NF Railways to start the project in September last year.
The first train may chug into Mendipathar railway station by the end of March , 2013.
With this, a dream pursued since 1994 when the first efforts were made to have a railway line from Dudhnoi will be realised.
The sanctioned cost of the landmark railway project was Rs 86.22 crore, but the revised cost could be approximately Rs 144 crore.
The original proposal for the railway line from Dudhnoi to Depa Sarangma had to be abandoned due to stiff opposition from the local people. However the railway project was welcomed by the people of Mendipathar who wanted to have their own railway station and broad gauge railway line.
In view of the urgency of the matter, acquisition of land was made under section 17 of the Land Acquisition Act.
The areas which will be covered by the railway line are Nolbari-Deuripara, Boromiapara , Chotomiapara , Mataranga, Manikganj,
Horingkata, Bakenang-Tilapara and Mendipathar.
The work is going on in full swing in the Assam and Meghalaya portions from Dudhnoi to Mendipathar.
There are a total of 39 bridges dotted through the track out of which nine bridges, both minor and major, have already been completed.
The railway project is being closely monitored by the Central Government and the North Eastern Council (NEC).
