SHILLONG: NPP MLA from Jirang constituency, Sosthenes Sohtun stressed on collective ideas from various stakeholders with regard to the contentious issue like bringing railway projects to the state.
He maintained that though developmental projects were welcomed yet development projects such as railway projects needed thorough discussions.
Speaking to reporters, Sohtun said, “I welcome development but development like setting up of railway lines in the state will have to be discussed with all stakeholders to get a unanimous decision.”
According to him, strong laws and mechanisms were to be in place to tackle the mounting problem of influx in the state.
When asked, he said the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) have not resumed their work yet.
It may be mentioned that the railway project in the state turn out to be a non-starter after it was halted on May 2017 following opposition from several organisations.
It may be mentioned that the construction of the rail track between Tetelia and Kalmajaria in Assam is almost complete but the work has not resumed in Meghalaya after it was halted in May, 2017.
The cost of the proposed 20.5-km railway line linking Tetelia in Assam and Byrnihat in Ri Bhoi district of Meghalaya is estimated around Rs 496 crore. The length of the track in Meghalaya is just 2.5 km.
The organizations opposing the projects want the government to put in place effective mechanism to check influx, including setting up of entry and exit points before introducing railways in the state.