MLAs are expected to be broad-minded, futuristic and progressive and that is exactly what Nongpoh MLA Mayralborn Syiem of the UDP has proven to be. Meghalaya has crossed its 50th year yet the enemies of progress have kept it behind the times by creating a fear psychosis over every development plan. The Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) has opposed the railways coming up to Byrnihat for over 40 years now and politicians of all shades have not had the moral courage or the political nerve and the vision to break through this logjam although a goods train would have lowered the price of most essentials coming into the state and also made Meghalaya less dependent on Assam for everything. In the early days of the resistance against the railways the alibi trotted out was that there the railways would bring in more influx. This claim needs to be buttressed by facts and figures. In fact, henceforth any group that opposes any development plan has to compulsorily give the government a white paper showing the cost-benefit analysis of a project. In this case the parties resisting the railways project should be able to give a cogent explanation on the plus and minuses of the project and prove their point not by oral claims but by a study they have conducted.
It was alleged in the past that the truck lobby was the one flexing its muscles against railways and that they used pressure groups to further their plans. This may not be far from the truth. That successive governments failed to deal with such self-seekers also points to the weak governance in Meghalaya for the past five decades. MLAs are supposed to be leaders not to be led by populist opinions. The MDA Government now into its second term and with a comfortable majority should be able to break through this logjam.
The rest of India, including states of the North East have all welcomed the railways. They include states like Mizoram, Nagaland, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh and now even Sikkim is sought to be connected to the railways. Why should Meghalaya alone remain in the backwoods? As it is, Meghalaya is still heavily dependent on Assam for air travel. With flights only connected to Kolkata and the twice a week flight to Delhi we are far behind all the other states. The present government with a business and finance expert at the head has to ensure that Meghalaya takes off on the development trajectory pronto because that alone can ensure employment for the burgeoning number of employable but unemployed youth. Besides, not everyone is cut out to be an entrepreneur!
