Mendipathar, Nov 9: A train ride is now turning into profit for farmers in North Garo Hills.
Meghalaya’s first railway station at Mendipathar has become a lifeline for local growers, Deputy Commissioner M.S.N. Marak told journalists during a DIPR press tour on Monday.
Fresh vegetables plucked in the morning now reach Guwahati the same day. Farmers sell their produce, pocket better prices, and return home by evening , something that was unthinkable before the railway came.
Transport costs have dropped, and demand for the region’s organic vegetables in Guwahati is soaring. The train is also carrying goods to Kolkata and Delhi, while bringing essential commodities back into the district at cheaper rates.
Marak said districts without rail links still pay far more for transport. With the railway network expanding, she sees new investors and industries coming to North Garo Hills.
For Meghalaya’s farmers, the message is simple, the railway is not just about travel, it is about income, opportunity and a better future.
