Awkward to ask for new rly projects: Pala

SHILLONG: Shillong MP, Vincent Pala may not ask for any more railway projects following the controversy surrounding the Tetelia-Byrnihat-Shillong railway project.
“ I feel very awkward to ask for new railway projects as there is a lot of controversy over those which have been given to us,” Pala said, while speaking to media persons here.
He said every society was evolving in terms of their thinking and there was a time when people did not want roads to go from their villages. “But now people want national and state highways in their places,” the MP said.
“May be, another generation and another MP would want railways here,” he said while pointing out that only a section of people does not want railways.
“But as we live in a democracy, we want to take every body into confidence,” he said.
He said he was for development, be it roads, railways or airports, since a good number of youths still do not have jobs.
“Every year, we get around 30,000 students who clear matriculation and 15,000 graduates. While these youths will go for employment with limited scope in government and private sector, the only way to solve the problem is to bring development,” Pala said.
He further said people should think over the matter seriously. “The government is trying for a solution to the opposition for the railways in the state. It is in the process of identifying and acquiring land for setting up check gates to curb influx but the initiative has been delayed slightly,” .
The KSU, which is opposing railways in Meghalaya fearing it would bring large scale influx of outsiders into the state, wants the government to set up entry and exit points in the state before bringing railways to the state.