SHILLONG, Oct 31: The Central government’s plans to connect all capital cities with the railway network is likely to be foiled in Meghalaya, with the state government seemingly to be in no mood of going ahead with the railways project until and unless all stakeholders including pressure groups are taken on board.
Making clear the government’s stand on the railway project, Transport Minister Dasakhiatbha Lamare on Monday said the government is planning to meet all the stakeholders to discuss the matter. “We will not touch it until and unless everybody is taken on board be it NGOs or pressure groups,” he said.
According to Lamare, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has conveyed to him that he would meet the stakeholders soon to discuss the railway project and compare its merits and drawbacks.
A final call on whether to move ahead with the project or scrap it will be taken only after the meeting, Lamare added.
It may be recalled that the CM had recently revealed that there was tremendous pressure from the Centre for implementation of the railway project in Meghalaya.
Pressure groups in the state are apprehensive of the railways as they fear that it would bring large-scale influx into the state. They are ready to discuss the railways only after the implementation of the Inner Line Permit system.
The proposed Byrnihat-Shillong railway line has remained a non-starter while the work for the Tetelia-Byrnihat railway line was halted few years ago.
As of now, Mendipathar in North Garo Hills remain the only railhead in the state.
