Mendipathar railway station

Mendipathar railway station is a railway station located in Resubelpara Municipal Board Jurisdiction, Meghalaya, India.

Mendipathar
Indian Railway Station
Terminal station
LocationDilma Rd, Mendipathar, North garo hills district, Meghalaya
India
Coordinates25°53′40″N 90°35′59″E
Elevation916 m (3,005 ft)
Owned byIndian Railways
Operated byNortheast Frontier Railway
Line(s)Dudhnoi - Mendipathar Rail Line
Platforms1
Tracks2
Construction
Structure typeTerminus
Other information
StatusFunctioning
Station codeMNDP
Zone(s) Northeast Frontier Railway
Division(s) Rangiya railway division
History
Opened2012 (2012)
ElectrifiedNo
Location
Mendipathar railway station
Location in Meghalaya

History

A line between Dudhnoi and Depa, Meghalaya through Dudhnoi river valley was proposed in rail budget 1992–93.[1] Later alignment was changed to Dudhnoi-Mendipathar in 2007 due to opposition of local people. Due to late handling of land to railways in Assam and Meghalaya, the work was slow up to 2013. Acquisition of land was completed by March 2013.[2]

Current status

It currently is the first and only railway station in Meghalaya, a hilly state. The train station was inaugurated by the Prime minister of India, Narendra Modi on 30 November 2014, through a video feed to the ceremony gathering at Mendipathar. Mendipathar - Guwahati Passenger is the only train from the station.

The second rail project for Meghalaya, The Tetelia - Byrnihat - Shillong Railways, that came up for the state as part of Govt of India's initiative to connect capitals of all North Eastern states through railway by 2020 is looming in uncertainty. There is stiff opposition from Khasi tribes in the region against rail project. They fear the railway line may lead to more influx of people from other regions into the state which may hurt their culture and local autonomy.

The project is now like a non starter because, the most basic part of the project which is 20.5 km railway line from Tetelia (suburb of Guwahati) in Assam to border town, Byrnihat in Meghalaya as a branch line from existing Kamakhya - Dudhnoi section has now came to a standstill within the territory of Meghalaya following violent protest by the Khasi Students Union (KSU) at the railway project site at Ronghana village in Ri-Bhoi district on May 27, 2017.[3]

References
  1. "Railway budget 1992-93". Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 3 April 2014.
  2. "First railway station in Meghalaya".
  3. "Uncertainty looms large over Meghalaya rail project". NORTHEAST NOW. Retrieved 31 March 2020.


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