Meghalaya CM: Public resistance overpowers state's railway project implementation

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has reiterated that the state government could not proceed with the proposed railway expansion to Shillong due to strong opposition from local groups. Speaking in the Assembly on Tuesday, March 4, Sangma emphasised that the project remains stalled as no land has been acquired in the past eight years.

The Centre had sanctioned Rs 200 crore in 2017 for land acquisition to bring rail connectivity to the state capital. However, the state government did not utilise the funds due to the lack of public consensus and concerns over an influx of outsiders. Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) recently requested the return of the unspent funds in a letter dated December 17, 2024.

Sangma assured the House that the government is not against development but must respect the sentiments of the people. “Since it is a sensitive matter, the government did not go ahead with the land acquisition. Our approach has always been to engage with stakeholders before moving forward,” he said.

The chief minister admitted to having multiple discussions with the Union minister regarding the matter, making it clear that strong resistance from local communities had made progress difficult.

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"I have also met the minister concerned on multiple occasions and in the last meeting, I had hinted to the minister that we are not able to move ahead with the project due to strong resistance against laying of railway tracks," the CM said.

Opposition Voice of the People Party (VPP) MLA Adelbert Nongrum questioned whether there was a “secret negotiation” behind the original sanctioning of Rs 200 crore, but Sangma dismissed the claim, stating that all financial allocations were made transparently.

Deputy Chief Minister and Transport Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar informed the House that in addition to local opposition, the project faced administrative hurdles as it lacked a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Autonomous District Council.

Railway expansion in Meghalaya has remained a contentious issue, with various groups fearing demographic changes that could arise from an influx of outsiders. The government has maintained that while improved connectivity is crucial for economic growth, any development must align with public sentiment.