SHILLONG, April 9: Officials of the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) are likely to meet Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma soon to press for the revival of the Tetelia-Byrnihat railway project that has been in cold storage since 2016-17.
Very few meetings have been held in the past six years to break the deadlock on the project.
State government officials are sceptical about the outcome of a meeting with the representatives of NFR beyond the routine of assurances to hold discussions with the stakeholders before taking a decision on the stalled project.
An official said that the work on the Assam side of the Tetelia-Byrnihat project is almost completed and even if the Meghalaya government gives the go-ahead, it would take at least two years to construct the proposed station at Byrnihat.
The pressure groups have set the introduction of the inner-line permit system before discussing the railway project. Even the KHADC has put a spanner in the wheel of the railway project.
The Tetelia-Byrnihat project is seen as the precursor to connecting Shillong by railway.
Barring Shillong, all the state capitals of the Northeast are either connected by railways or in the process of being put on the railway map of the country.
Various pressure groups are against the railway project in the Khasi-Jaintia part of Meghalaya unless the government comes up with a robust system for checking ‘illegal’ immigrants.
The KSU had recently reiterated its opposition to the proposed railway projects in Meghalaya without any special protection for the indigenous population.
The union made it amply clear that they are ready to discuss the railway projects only if the Centre agrees to give special protection to the indigenous Khasi population of the state by implementing the Inner Line Permit or provisions like Article 371 (A) (Special provision with respect to Nagaland) or 371 (G) (Special provision with respect to Mizoram).
It may be recalled that last month, the state government and KHADC had made contradictory statements regarding issuing of NOC over land acquisition for the railway project.
Transport Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar, in a written reply in the Assembly during the Budget session, disclosed that the government had received NOC from KHADC, but there was prompt denial from CEM, Titosstarwell Chyne.
The CEM said the council is firm that they will not be issuing the NOC as long as they are not getting the green signal either from the traditional heads, pressure groups and the citizens at large.
Currently, the state’s only railway line from Dudhnoi to Mendipathar is functional in the Garo Hills region bordering Assam.
