By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 26: Despite facing opposition, the state government has clarified that railway projects in Meghalaya have not been abandoned. A decision will be made after comprehensive consultations with all stakeholders.
“We have yet to make a final decision because, first and foremost, we aim to bring all stakeholders on board. Only when everyone is aligned will the government take a definitive stance,” said Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar.
When asked about the Meghalaya Tourism Development Forum’s (MTDF) proposal for a high-speed luxury rail network from Guwahati to Shillong, Dhar acknowledged that it is a promising idea. However, he noted that it falls outside his department’s purview, so he has no further information on it.
Opposition to railways in Khasi Hills has persisted for years, largely due to concerns about increased migration that trains might facilitate. There is also resistance from truckers, who could lose business if goods trains begin handling cargo transportation.
Currently, Meghalaya has only one operational railway line, which connects Mendipathar to Assam. A proposed extension up to Byrnihat in Ri-Bhoi has been stalled for years. Although the central government’s vision is to connect every state capital by rail, achieving this in Shillong appears increasingly difficult.
A few years ago, the idea of extending railway services to East Jaintia Hills emerged as an alternative to the long-stalled plans in Ri-Bhoi and East Khasi Hills. East Jaintia Hills, with its rich reserves of coal and limestone and its numerous cement factories, could benefit from freight rail.
Yet, local pressure groups have also opposed this, fearing it could lead to a significant influx of migrants.
Earlier on Friday, the KSU had asked the state government and the MTDF to stop dreaming about introduction of High Speed Luxury Rail Network (HSLRN) in Shillong.
The union had asked the state government to instead focus on improving the education and healthcare system, bring transparency in the recruitment process, come up with stringent mechanism to deal with the problem of drugs and improve the overall infrastructure in the state, especially good road connectivity.