Shillong, Mar 5: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said on Wednesday he would take up with the Centre the issue of the railway line to Baghmara in South Garo Hills.
“I will forward this particular concern and request to the ministry, and we will discuss, maybe at an informal level as the minister happened to be quite close (to me). I will be able to talk to him informally and let us see…,” Sangma told reporters while referring to a memorandum submitted by the three legislators from the district.
However, he reiterated that the government would talk to the people before deciding on railways.
“We have been very clear that we will talk to the people, we will see how the public feels and what is their thought process in this whole idea and if we are able to carry people along then I am very keen to see that we will be able to develop this infrastructure not only as a large investment for the region but I think it will be a great economic boost for the region and it will really help the farmers and the businesses that are there,” he said.
Three South Garo Hills MLAs met Sangma on Tuesday and submitted a letter seeking extension of railway connecting Mendipathar-Baghmara and Dhaka, Bangladesh from Guwahati.
Though Mendipathar has an active railhead, the Centre has asked the state to surrender over Rs 200 crore sanctioned for the rail project in Khasi Hills since 2017.
