Shillong, Oct 29: Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh on Tuesday said he is yet to receive the suggestion made by the Meghalaya Tourism Development Forum (MTDF) for establishing a high-speed luxury rail network to reduce the travel time from Guwahati to Shillong.

Speaking to reporters, Lyngdoh said, “I am yet to receive this proposal in black and white from the MTDF. Anything which is for the interest of Meghalaya and anything which caters to tourism will be viewed from that prism.”

“But if you are talking about the rail head, which has been a contentious issue for many years, this is an issue that does not involve tourism, it relates to the transport department and any decision taken on it, can only be taken at the level of the cabinet,” he stated.

On October 25, the MTDF in its memorandum to the tourism department has asserted the need for the state government to come up with a long term policy to promote the local tourism industry even as it appeal the need to consider establishing a high speed luxury rail network to reduce the travel time from Guwahati to Shillong.

“A long term policy is in line for the promotion and growth of the local tourism industry. The need of the hour is a fully functional Shillong airport so travellers can travel from their respective cities directly to Meghalaya. The establishment of a full-fledged permanent airport for Boeings & Airbuses will accelerate not only the growth of tourism in Meghalaya but the overall economic development of Meghalaya,” the MTDF had stated in the letter addressed to the tourism director.

“Also it is anticipated that in the next decade the Guwahati international airport will have connections to all major cities of Asia , making the city accessible to all major cities of the World. Meghalaya must embrace the idea of a Vande Bharat train that connects Borjhar airport to Shillong and appeal to the Government of India to consider the establishment of a high speed luxury rail network that will reduce the travel time from Guwahati and Shillong to less than an hour. This will further cement Meghalaya as not only a tourist destination nationally but also internationally,” it had stated in the letter.

However, the KSU has opposed the suggestion for a luxury rail network to Shillong. In a statement last week, KSU had reiterated its demand to put on hold the proposed railway projects till effective anti-influx mechanisms like the inner line permit (ILP) is implemented in the state of Meghalaya.

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