SHILLONG: The Rs 496-crore Tetelia-Byrnihat project has made no progress in Meghalaya and talks between the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) and the state government yielded no solution.
NFR officials said there was status quo in the project, which was shelved after violent protests by the Khasi Students’ Union last May, and “there is no new development”.
During the meeting with NFR a few months ago, the government had said it would tread cautiously on the project and take all stakeholders into confidence before a decision, the railway officials said.
“In Meghalaya, we have not been able to do any work,” the official said and added that out of the 21.5-km line from Tetelia to Byrnihat, only 2km is in Meghalaya. The stretch is an approach way to the railway station and the yard. In the Assam side, work on 10km has been completed.
The officials said the railway station and the yard can be fenced and entry and exit points can be set up.
The protesting pressure group wants the government to put in place an effective mechanism to check influx.
