South Garo Hills MLAs to move CM for railways to Baghmara, even to Dhaka
Shillong, Mar 3: Even as railway connectivity has consistently faced stiff resistance in Khasi Hills, the western part of Meghalaya or Garo Hills – already connected by railways – wants more!
The difference in public sentiment towards railways has become more visible as MLAs, representing constituencies in South Garo Hills bordering Bangladesh, have decided to push for a railway link up to Baghmara near Indo-Bangla border across Garo Hills.
The MLAs would soon make a formal request to chief minister Conrad K Sangma to further take up the matter with the Central government.
“I along with four MLAs from the district shall submit a memorandum to the chief minister for extension of the Guwahati-Mendipathar line to Baghmara and even to Dhaka,” education minister Rakkam A Sangma, who hails from the district, told reporters on Monday.
Reminding that trade was flourishing in the region – now seen as one of the most backward in the state – before independence, the minister said, “This (railway line) will be a trade corridor in the long run as in pre-independence time.”
He pointed out that one of the key factors of economic development is good connectivity. “America is rich because they have good roads,” he said.
“We will request the CM to take up with the Centre the matter of extension of the railways to Baghmara and to Dhaka,” Sangma said.
He, however, emphasised the importance of setting up of integrated check points for keeping a check on illegal immigration, a key concern expressed by Khasi Hills-based organisations in opposing the Teteliya–Byrnihat railway line.
Even most political parties, mainly based in Khasi Hills, have echoed the voice of NGOs led by the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) in opposing the railway project in absence of strong anti-influx mechanism such as inner line permit (ILP).
The demand raised by South Garo Hills MLAs for railway link to Baghmara is also significant due to the smooth functioning of the railway head at Mendipathar in North Garo Hills.
The first passenger train service to Mendipathar was remotely inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 30 November 2014, the year he came to power.
The daily train service has proved to be a key communication mode for hundreds of people, including traders, of North Garo Hills to travel to Goalpara, Boko, Guwahati, etc.
