GUWAHATI: The Meghalaya government will hold consultations with all stakeholders, including political parties, seeking to push the Tetelia-Byrnihat-Shillong railway project.
The project has remained stalled for the many years due to opposition from some pressure groups. Recently, the Centre wrote to the state government asking it to return Rs 290 crore, which was allocated for land acquisition for the project. The project is part of the Centre’s decision to connect the capitals of all states with railways. Meghalaya has a railhead which goes up to Mendipathar from Assam.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said that if the stalemate continued, Shillong could well be the country’s only state capital without a railhead. “We will move forward only after taking the stakeholders on board. But if we miss it, we don’t know when we will get this opportunity again,” Sangma said.
He said that railways will bring about development and boost the state’s economy.
The Tetelia-Byrnihat-Shillong railway project will run through the Khasi Hills region of eastern Meghalaya. Various organisations, including the Khasi Students’ Union, are opposing it saying the introduction of railways will aggravate the problem of influx of illegal immigrants.