Shillong, May 14: National People’s Party (NPP) spokesman Himalaya M Shangpliang on Tuesday urged all political parties to participate in the all-party committee and give their views and suggestions on the proposal to implement railway projects in the state.
“We urge all political parties to take part in the all-party committee on railways. The state government is giving a platform where all political leaders can come together to discuss and deliberate issues relating to economic development of the state through railways,” Shangpliang told reporters.
“If the Congress and VPP feel that they are responsible for the growth and development of the state, they too should also participate in the all-party meeting by giving their valuable views and suggestions. This will help the state government to come up with a solution that will bring development to the state and at the same time provide the required protection from influx,” he said.
Emphasizing the need to understand the importance of railway connectivity, he said, “If a state like Mizoram is welcoming railways after understanding its importance, we fear a time may come that Meghalaya will be the only state in the North East region without railway connectivity.”
He also mentioned the need to address the apprehension that railways will only facilitate influx of outsiders into the state. “NPP also does not want an influx. Therefore, we want to discuss with all political parties as we need railways but we do not need influx. We need a system in place that will help strike a balance between development and protection from influx,” Shangpliang clarified.
