Shillong: Following the recent proposal for a 180-km rail line from Chaparmukh Junction in Assam to Jowai in Meghalaya, the Federation of Khasi Jaintia Garo People (FKJGP) has expressed strong opposition to the project.
The group insists that no railway development should proceed until a concrete mechanism is established to curb the influx of outsiders into the region.
The FKJGP has urged the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) to refrain from issuing a no-objection certificate (NOC) to the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) for the proposed rail project.
The controversy erupted after reports revealed that the NFR had begun surveying areas like Bhoksong, Rajagaon, Baithalangso, Jengkha, and Kherani-Umrangso for a potential railway link to Jowai.
The FKJGP raised serious concerns, asserting that large-scale infrastructural projects should not move forward without proper safeguards in place to prevent uncontrolled immigration.
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In its statement, the FKJGP called on the JHADC to block the NOC required by NFR, emphasising that the railway project could have detrimental effects unless supported by a robust system, such as the long-demanded Inner Line Permit (ILP), to regulate migration.
The proposed rail route is expected to connect important towns such as Bhoksong, Rajagaon, Baithalangso, Jengkha, Kherani, and Umrangso, filling existing transportation gaps and improving the movement of people and goods between Assam and Meghalaya.
However, local groups argue that, without proper immigration controls, this improved connectivity could open the door to an influx of non-tribal settlers, threatening the region’s fragile demographic balance and cultural heritage.
