SHILLONG/ NEW DELHI, Feb 4: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) on Friday reiterated that it will not give its consent to the proposed railway project till Byrnihat in Ri-Bhoi district.
Talking to reporters after a meeting with the traditional heads from Ri-Bhoi district, KHADC Chief Executive Member, Titosstarwell Chyne said the state government sent at least 11 reminders to the council with a request to give its consent to the project.
“We are continuing to receive communications from the state government even after we made our stand very clear on the matter,” Chyne said.
He said as the government wanted to acquire land for the project, the council convened the meeting to understand the positions of the traditional heads.
The meeting was attended by Basan of Raid Nongkseh, Syiem of Raid Marwet, Syiem of Raid Nongpoh and the Rangbah Shnongs of the 16 villages where the project’s alignment has been proposed.
According to Chyne, they decided at the meeting that the council will communicate to the various villages to clarify their position.
“We will submit our representation to the state government to indicate the stand of the council and also of the traditional heads,” he said.
He said the main reason why the council is not giving its consent is that majority of the indigenous people stand opposed to the railhead coming to the state.
“We have to respect the sentiments of people since we are here to protect their interest. Many fear that the coming of the railway project would lead to a major influx problem,” Chyne said.
Alleging that the government has not been able to regulate the entry of people from outside even without the railway line, he said there is a fear among the indigenous people that they will be swept away by people from outside as a result of the railway project.
He said the state government proposed to acquire around 47,673.63 sq m of land for the project in Ri-Bhoi district.
“We have requested the Rangbah Shnong to hold a dialogue with the 16 land owners to oppose the proposal for the railway project,” Chyne said.
Shillong will be the only state capital in the Northeast not to be on the railway map. The remaining four capitals, such as Gangtok, Imphal, Aizawl and Kohima, will be connected with railway in five years.
The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), other organisations and some ruling political parties have been for long vehemently opposing plans to connect Meghalaya, specifically the western half leading to Shillong, with railways. They argued that it will be difficult to check the inflow of “unwanted outsiders” who will come by trains.
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) had in May 2017 put on hold the work on a 22-km stretch from Tetelia in Assam to Byrnihat in Ri-Bhoi. This railhead was to have been extended to Shillong uphill.
However, the NFR abandoned the project after a violent protest by the KSU. Work in about 20 km of the stretch in Assam was completed long ago.
At present, the only rail link in Meghalaya is in Mendipathar in North Garo Hills bordering Assam.