Guwahati: Tension has once again flared along the Assam-Meghalaya border after a group of Meghalaya supporters allegedly disrupted crucial road repair work initiated by the Assam government in the contentious Upper Lampi area on Thursday.
The incident, unfolding under the jurisdiction of the Boko-Chaygaon Co-District, saw labourers and construction materials, mobilized to install a vital culvert on the lone road connecting Boko to Upper Lampi, being reportedly stopped and sent away by a section of Khasi residents.
Sources indicate that the 40-kilometre stretch, constructed by the Assam government five years ago, remains a flashpoint with locals from Meghalaya’s West Khasi Hills district claiming ownership. Gopal Sharma, one of the labourers, recounted the obstruction, alleging that even Meghalaya Police were involved and that an on-site bamboo hut was dismantled by unidentified individuals. The incident, taking place a mere kilometre from the Assam Police’s Upper Lampi border outpost, prompted a swift response. A team from Assam, including Boko Police, a magistrate, and PWD officials, reached the spot, only to be met by a contingent of Meghalaya Police led by Sub-Inspector B. Diengdoh. The ensuing heated exchanges reportedly included insults directed at the magistrate present.
Magistrate Raben Deori later confirmed that the situation was now under control, stating that further action on the roadwork would be decided after consultation with higher authorities. PWD engineer Manik Dutta explained that the 23-kilometre hilly stretch from Kompadoli to Upper Lampi is being reinforced with guard walls, drains, and culverts under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF). The simmering tension in Lampi brings to mind the November 2021 meeting between Assam Chief Minister Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, where six of the twelve disputed locations were resolved. However, Lampi remains a key point of contention yet to be settled, casting a shadow on the ongoing peace efforts.
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