The Ministry of Railways is planning to scrap the Byrnihat –Shillong railway project and shift it to some other region of the state which will be viable, benefit the people and where the people also will be happy to get the railway.
Informing this Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said, he has a meeting with Minister Incharge of railways, Government of India, wherein the union Minister mentioned that the funds have already been given to the state Government for the railway project.
Talking to reporters, the Chief Minister clarified, “The Government of India saying that the money is there, why aren’t we moving forward? We are saying if not Shillong let’s examine somewhere else,” he added.
Informing about his meeting with the railway Minister, Sangma said, “I told him (Railway Minister) that there are concerns and without addressing those concerns it will not be wise for us to simply bulldoze it. The Minister mentioned that there were funds given to the state Government to implement this part of the project in terms of land acquisition and other things and I have made it amply clear to him if directions are given and if there is a study that is done , then this rail way could be put in some other parts of the state and if the Government of India so desires those funds can be used to develop the railway connectivity in areas which are viable, which will benefit the people and where the people also will be happy to get railway.”
Stating that the regions could be Jaintia Hills, it could be Garo Hills, could be some other parts of Khasi Hills, he said the state Government will examine but in no way the state Government will bulldoze the concern of the people.
He assured that the government will not force implementation of railway projects in the Khasi and Jaintia Hills region.
“If the people and the community at large have concerns about it, we will try and address those concerns before we move on it,” he said adding that he has made the state government’s stand very clear to the Union Railway Minister.
With opposition continuing in Khasi and Jaintia Hills on the move citing that railway is a medium to facilitate massive influx, the state Government may consider shifting this project to Garo Hills.
“So the Minister was quite happy to hear that and said they are flexible and open to consider and shifting of the railway project from Byrnihat –Shillong project in terms of the fund that is given to us to any other part of the state and that’s why we will consult and discuss with other regions and see the feasibility of shifting this project to any other part of the state,” CM added.
Asked, he said, “I have expressed that if the Government of Meghalaya has concerns over the fact that the funds have been given, that the Government of India may consider utilizing those funds in any other region where they feel appropriate after taking the people in those areas and regions into confidence. We will be ready to facilitate that particular process and so that the money that is given by the Government of India is not stuck and if maybe one region doesn’t want railways then may be another region whatever we get public support and we get kind of consensus and there is a desire for it.”
Elaborating further, the Chief Minister said, “The concern of the Government of India is that they have already given money to the Government of Meghalaya for land acquisition and how long will they wait for this Shillong project to move forward. What I am saying is that I communicated to the Government of India that if we are not able to move forward in this project, we are open to the Government of India discussing with the state Government and other regions and see how we could then utilize the fund for another part that’s what I am saying.”
Further, Sangma said that if there is a general feeling that a study on the impact of influx in the state should be conducted, the government will have no problem conducting such study.
“The study is not a big deal but influx is a big deal…I have made it very clear to the public that in no way are we going to bulldoze this kind of a decision where we are going to force this kind of a project to come through if the people and the community at large have concerns about it. We will address those concerns before we move on it,” he said.