FinMin’s gaffe on railways in state

SHILLONG, Sep 20: The office of the Finance Minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, on Tuesday took everyone by surprise with a tweet that the central government is strengthening the rail network in the Northeast and that the connectivity to capitals of Meghalaya, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Sikkim is under construction.
It is a known fact that the railway project has become dormant in Meghalaya due to protests by pressure groups who are opposed to the same fearing influx.
The tweet from the Finance Minister’s office surprised many in Shillong since the railway project has remained a nonstarter in Meghalaya barring the lone railhead in Mendipathar in North Garo Hills. The Tetelia-Byrnihat railway line has also remained for more than five years now.