Shillong, Oct 3: Tourism Minister Timothy D Shira has dismissed concerns that the railway line in North Garo Hills has led to an influx of outsiders.
He maintained that even though the area does not come under the Inner Line Permit (ILP) system, the railway has only benefitted the people by improving connectivity and trade.
The 19-km stretch of railway from Dudhnoi in Assam to Mendipathar in Meghalaya was commissioned in 2014. Of this, 10 km falls in Assam and 9 km in Meghalaya.
Shira highlighted that the line has played a crucial role in transporting essential goods not just to Mendipathar but across the state, including Shillong.
According to the minister, the railways have also opened up direct market access for farmers in Garo Hills, allowing them to take their produce to Guwahati. Citing an example, he said while jackfruit seed sells like hot cakes in Guwahati, a woman farmer from Garo Hills has taken advantage of the rail transport and she sells her stock within an hour.
When asked about the fear of influx, Shira firmly rejected such claims. He stressed that residents of North Garo Hills are well aware of the importance of safeguarding tribal land and do not sell to non-tribals. He contrasted this with parts of western Garo Hills, where settlement by non-tribals has taken place due to ignorance about land protection laws.
He further pointed out that some non-tribal settlements in North Garo Hills exist because of earlier loopholes and manipulation by officials of the GHADC before the Land Transfer Act was enforced.
In Meghalaya, the railway issue has long been linked to concerns of influx. Several pressure groups have been demanding that protective measures such as ILP be put in place before passenger trains are introduced. Resistance is so strong that even a 2-km stretch of the Tetelia-Byrnihat line in Ri-Bhoi district has been stalled. Many activists also oppose goods trains, fearing these would eventually pave the way for passenger services.
