Shillong, Dec 8: The Jaintia Students’ Union (JSU) has warned the Northeast Frontier Railway against any plan to conduct surveys for two proposed railway lines leading to Jowai.
It was reported that the Northeast Frontier Railway is planning to begin the preliminary survey for the proposed new broad-gauge line as early as 2026.
The Northeast Frontier Railway (NFT) had proposed a 180-kilometre broad gauge railway line extending from Chaparmukh Junction in Assam to Jowai in Meghalaya. The route is set to traverse several key locations such as Bhoksong, Rajagaon, Baithalangso, Jengkha, Kherani, and Umrangso.
The JSU in a statement also cautioned the government against attempting to impose the railway project by force, especially in the absence of prior laws to protect the rights of the tribal population and without the implementation of measures such as the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system to prevent further influx of illegal settlers.
“If the railway is allowed to enter the Jaintia region, a serious threat will loom over our beautiful hills and land. We have already witnessed what happened in Them Ïew Mawlong (Them Metor) and in areas affected by land surveys, where the issues remain unresolved to this day, with continuous delays in relocation,” the JSU said.
The issue, the union said, raises serious questions about the government’s capacity to handle much bigger challenges that may arise if a railway is introduced in the state without proper legal safeguards to protect the interests of the local people of the district, the region, and the state as a whole.
