SHILLONG, Dec 7: The Union Ministry of Railways has asserted that two new railway lines under the capital connectivity project will be commissioned in Meghalaya. The two railway lines include the Tetelia-Byrnihat (22 km) and the Byrnihat-Shillong (108 km) projects.
Minister of Railways Ashwini Vaishnaw in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday stated that the between 2014 and 2022, a total of 1,544 km including 377 km of new line, 972 km of gauge conversion and 195 km of doubling, falling fully/partly in the Northeast, have been commissioned at an average rate of 193 km per year, which is 190% more than average annual commissioning achieved during 2009-14 (66.6 km per year).
Despite the minister’s assertion, the Byrnihat-Shillong railway project has remained a non-starter while the Tetelia-Byrnihat project has seen construction work only on the Assam side due to rigorous opposition from pressure groups over fears of influx. They want ILP before introduction of railways.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had recently admitted to pressure from the Centre for the railway project in Meghalaya and had made it clear that the state government would not go for the railway project without taking on board all the concerned stakeholders.
