Shillong, Aug 8: The foundation stone for the new Meghalaya House at Kharghar, Navi Mumbai was jointly laid on Saturday by Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, marking a major step in interstate cooperation and in expanding Meghalaya’s institutional presence in the country’s commercial capital.
The ceremony followed the formal handing over of land by the City and Industrial Development Corporation of Maharashtra.
The new facility, coming up on 2071.67 square metres, is being developed to meet the growing demand for accommodation from people of Meghalaya travelling to Mumbai for medical treatment, higher education, official work, business and tourism.
Since 2008, Meghalaya has operated a 12-room house at Vashi. Officials said the facility has been under increasing pressure, especially with the rising number of patients and attendants visiting Tata Memorial Hospital.
It also serves students, government officials, entrepreneurs, sportspersons and tourists from the state.
The Kharghar campus is expected to substantially increase accommodation capacity and public facilities, and provide safe, comfortable and affordable lodging for citizens away from home.
Speaking at the event, Chief Minister Sangma thanked Fadnavis, the Maharashtra Cabinet, officials, CIDCO and the local MLA for their support.
He called the project a significant moment for the state, given the constraints of land and space in Mumbai.
“For us as a State of Meghalaya, today almost feels like a dream,” he said, adding that the government’s gratitude goes to Maharashtra for helping turn the aspiration into reality.
Sangma highlighted the strong presence of people from Meghalaya in Maharashtra across healthcare, education, business, music, sports and entrepreneurship.
He expressed confidence that the new house would strengthen ties between the two states and deepen people-to-people connections.
“At the end of the day, this is not something that we are doing for us, this is for the people of Meghalaya,” he said.
Chief Minister Fadnavis spoke of the long-standing cultural and people-to-people connect between Maharashtra and Meghalaya.
He noted that Mumbai and Pune have been key destinations for people from the Northeast, particularly students, artists and professionals, and said their presence reflects India’s unity in diversity.
“This is not merely Maharashtra’s or Mumbai’s land; this is the future of the country,” he said, referring to the growing importance of the region where the new house will stand.
Fadnavis described Meghalaya as one of the most beautiful states in the Northeast and spoke of its strong association with music, especially rock music, and the shared link with Mumbai as the country’s major music hub.
He acknowledged the contributions of people from Meghalaya working in education, healthcare and other professions in Maharashtra, and said these connections have built an enduring relationship.
He also noted Meghalaya’s growing economy under Sangma’s leadership and expressed interest in building future cultural and economic partnerships.
The ceremony included a performance by Khmih Creative Society under the Chief Minister’s Meghalaya Grassroots Music Programme, showcasing the state’s artistic traditions before dignitaries from both states.
The government said the new Meghalaya House is part of its vision to build modern, accessible and citizen-centric public infrastructure, while strengthening partnerships with other states to deliver better services.
