SHILLONG, March 4: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Tuesday said while the state needs railways, especially goods trains, the state government is not going ahead as people are opposed to it.
Replying to a query from Voice of the People Party MLA Adelbert Nongrum if the state government is still considering bringing the Byrnihat-Shillong railway project, Sangma said the government feels the state needs railways for the transportation of products. He said it will ensure more economic development for the state.
“It will reduce the overall cost of logistics and benefit the masses as well as traders and local entrepreneurs. During crisis times like COVID-19, we had to rely on road transportation from bordering states. If we had railway lines, we would have been able to bring in a large number of products,” Sangma said.
Earlier, replying to another query from VPP MLA Brightstarwell Marbaniang on the amount received by the state government for the railway project and its usage, the chief minister said, “It is simple and nothing complicated. This money was given to the state government by the Centre to acquire the land required for railways. It is Rs 290.37 crore.”
He said the money, kept with the DC, could not be utilised due to local resistance.
“We have clarified many times that we would like to carry the people along with us when we take a very important decision like this. Since there has been a delay, the money is lying unutilised,” Sangma said, adding that it is not meant for construction or development.
He said the state government received a letter from the Northeast Frontier Railway on December 17 last year in which it asked the government to return the money as it is lying unutilised for seven to eight years. He said the entire amount is intact.
“There is a strong resistance (to railway projects). We have been speaking to many stakeholders, officially and unofficially. Since it is a very sensitive matter, the government did not go ahead with any land acquisition,” Sangma said, adding, “It is not possible for us to move forward. We are very sensitive on this matter and we would like to take people along.”
