SHILLONG: The Railways has given permission to the state government to set up an entry and exit point at the state’s only railway station in Mendipathar even as Chief Minister Conrad Sangma assured the government will take up all measures to address the issue of illegal immigration.
Informing that the state has been granted permission from the Railways to set up the entry-exit point at Mendipathar railway station, the Chief Minister said work on the facility would begin this month.
He also exuded confidence that setting up of the entry and exit points in different parts of the state would help ease the concerns of NGOs and the public about influx.
The chief minister said discussions on resumption of work on the Tetelia-Byrnihat- Shillong railway line have been held at different levels. He had held detailed discussions about the railway projects in the state with officials of the North East Frontier Railways (NFR) last week.
The state has no railway connectivity barring the Mendipathar-Dudhoi line.
As far as Khasi Hills is concerned, efforts are on for long to bring the railway up to Byrnihat, but pressure groups, who are convinced it will only facilitate illegal immigration, threw a spanner in the works a few years ago bringing construction work to a halt.
Govt firm on influx: CM
The chief minister said the government will make every effort to address the issue of illegal immigration adding that its stand is clear on this.
“We want to ensure that illegal immigration does not take place in our state and will take measures to address this issue,” he said.
The chief minister’s assertion comes in the backdrop of increasing demand from the pressure groups to implement the Inner Line Permit (ILP) to check influx.
While the state government is yet to come out categorically on its stand on implementing ILP it has prepared the draft of the amended Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act. Since the Act is related to the safety of the residents, the government will have to define who is a resident of Meghalaya.
The state government has insisted that more teeth will be given to the Act by amending it.
Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong had said the amended Act will serve the purpose of addressing the issue of influx while hinting it will be perhaps be more potent than the ILP.
