Meghalaya Group Opposes Jowai Railway Project Over Migration Concerns

SHILLONG: The Federation of Khasi Jaintia Garo People (FKJGP) has expressed strong opposition against the planned 180-km railway line from Chaparmukh Junction in Assam to Jowai in Meghalaya. They fear it will bring too many outsiders into the region.

The group has urged the Jaintia Hills Autonomous District Council (JHADC) to withhold the no-objection certificate (NOC) required by the Northeast Frontier Railway (NFR) to proceed with the project. According to the FKJGP, railway expansion should not move forward without a concrete mechanism to regulate migration, such as the long-demanded Inner Line Permit (ILP).

The controversy gained momentum after reports emerged that NFR had begun surveying areas like Bhoksong, Rajagaon, Baithalangso, Jengkha, and Kherani-Umrangso for a potential railway link to Jowai. The railway project is meant to improve travel and trade between Assam and Meghalaya. However, local groups worry that it might bring too many outsiders, which could change the area's culture and population.

FKJGP maintains that large-scale infrastructure projects should only be implemented alongside proper safeguards to prevent demographic imbalances. The group has asked the JHADC to stop the NOC, saying that without proper rules, the project could harm indigenous communities in the long run.

As debates intensify, the future of the Chaparmukh-Jowai rail link remains uncertain, with concerns over development and demographic preservation at the heart of the dispute.

ALSO READ: Delhi Man Murders Wife After Taking Holy Dip At Maha Kumbh; Arrested

ALSO WATCH: