Shillong, Sep 16: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma today informed the Assembly that the government desires to have the railways in Meghalaya provided people give their nod to have a railway network in the state.
Intervening during question hour, Sangma said there is opposition towards the railways from the people and so the government has not been able to proceed forward to have a railway network in the state.
However, the government is actively engaging with the central government and trying to explain about the people’s resistance towards railways in the state.
The Chief Minister added that he had several meetings with union Railways minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and explained to him about the opposition.
According to the him, the Railways minister said that the project would only be taken up in earnest when the state government and also the people of the state willingly give approval.
Earlier, Minister in-charge Transport, Dasakhiatbha Lamare said that at present there is no work going on the railway line in the state linking Tetelia-Byrnihat.
However survey work and land acquisition has been completed for the Tetelia to Byrnihat stretch and the land owners for that stretch of land have been compensated.
But following the survey and land acquisition there was opposition from the NGOs, Lamare said adding, now the work has been halted, but efforts are on to convince the people to have railways for the economic upliftment of the people.
The Transport minister said, the railways would bring in prosperity and the state government is trying not to shelve the project and dispel reports that the NF Railways have abandoned the project.
