State Govt mum on rail project work

SHILLONG: The State Government is still silent on the resumption of the railway project work at Byrnihat that was halted last month after pressure group members ransacked the construction site.
An official with the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) said the Government has to decide when and how the work would resume.
While the Tetelia-Byrnihat railway project is marred by controversies, the fate of the Byrnihat-Shillong project remains uncertain.
10 stations proposed from Byrnihat to Shillong
The official said the proposed railway line from Byrnihat to Shillong will have 10 stations and the last railway station will be set up at the New Shillong Township.
The official also said the railway tracks till Shillong will be a single line and will not follow the national highway. There will be 31 tunnels and the number will increase after the survey of the remaining distance.
Survey has been completed till 103km and technical feasibility is yet to be conducted for the remaining 5 km. While the Centre and the State Government are harping on the need to connect Shillong with railways to provide better connectivity and employment opportunities in the landlocked State, local pressure groups are opposing the project saying it would lead to influx of immigrants.
The State Government has advocated the need for facilitation centres at different railway stations to check influx.