By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 4: With the proposed railway projects in Khasi-Jaintia Hills staring at an uncertain future, the Garo Hills region is now coming forward seeking extension of the railway line from Mendipathar in North Garo Hills to Williamnagar in East Garo Hills.
Cabinet Minister and Williamnagar MLA, Marcuise N. Marak has made it clear that the Garo Hills will demand the extension of the railway line from Mendipathar if Khasi-Jaintia Hills does not want railways.
“If the eastern side does not agree to railways, we will go for it and demand extension of the railways in Garo Hills,” Marak said on Monday.
He said extension of the railways till Williamnagar is apt but extending the railways till South West Garo Hills will bring in lots of benefits, especially for those practicing agriculture.
“Once the bridge over the Brahmaputra comes up connecting Phulbari with Dhubri, Garo Hills will be a convenient place for business activities,” he said.
Earlier, Cabinet Minister Rakkam A. Sangma had submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma requesting him to extend the railway connection from Mendipathar to Baghmara via Nongalbibra or via Tura, Tikrikilla or Dalu.
As of now, North Garo Hills has Meghalaya’s only operational railway station which connects Mendipathar to Guwahati in Assam.
The region has seen no major concerns regarding demographic influx, and Garo leaders actively support railway expansion.
The Meghalaya Residents Safety and Security Act (MRSSA) has been implemented in Mendipathar to regulate tenant registration and monitor migration, alleviating concerns about unregulated influx.
This has fostered a positive perception of railways as a driver of economic development, with local leaders emphasising benefits like reduced transportation costs and improved market access for small-scale farmers and businesses.
In contrast, railway projects in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills face strong resistance, primarily driven by fears of an unchecked influx of outsiders that could disrupt the region’s demographic, cultural, and social fabric.
Pressure groups like the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU), Jaintia Students’ Movement (JSM), and Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) have consistently opposed projects such as the Tetelia-Byrnihat, Byrnihat-Shillong, and Chaparmukh-Jowai lines.
The absence of robust safeguards, such as the Inner Line Permit (ILP), has stalled all proposed railway projects, with the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council and Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council refusing to issue necessary no-objection certificates, pending approval from all concerned stakeholders.
Recent protests in Jaintia Hills against the proposed Jowai railway project and the stalled Byrnihat-Shillong railway line, for which the central government has asked for a refund of Rs 209 crore awarded for the project, show how effective the resistance is.
