SHILLONG: Despite years of discussions, debates and apprehensions, railway project in Meghalaya has not made much headway, while other Northeastern states are already in the process of augmenting their transport infrastructure with rail link.
Of late, Centre’s plans to rail-link all the capitals of the Northeastern states has come across a hurdle with the project not making any progress in Meghalaya as stakeholders here fear influx from outside the state.
Now, joining the chorus for opposition of rail-linking the state with rest of the country is Congress Chief Whip, PT Sawkmie, who has asked the state government to put the matter at bay, for now.
“If, at this point, trains are allowed to enter state without proper checking mechanism in place, it will be difficult to control the flow of people,” Sawkmie said.
In the absence of proper checking mechanism, the state government should put the matter at bay, he added.
Sawkmie, instead, asked the state government to speed up the construction of entry-and-exit points, which has been the demand of various stakeholders for time and again.
He said that only after the government takes up all the measures relating to protecting the locals from unabated influx, they may rethink on the matter.
Earlier, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma had asserted that the Railways’ project to connect all capitals of Northeastern states to the rail network by 2023 is an important and the state government will do whatever is required to implement the project by taking everyone on board.
Out of the coalition partners, while the NPP is in for at least goods train, the United Democratic Party stands firm in opposing passenger as well as goods train.
Since mooting the idea of rail-linking the state, NGOs have against the proposition tooth and nail over fear of influx, following which, the Tetelia-Byrnihat railway project in Ri Bhoi had been kept in abeyance.
