Guwahati: In a significant move towards resolving the longstanding interstate boundary dispute, survey teams from Assam and Meghalaya, accompanied by senior government officials, began installing boundary pillars in the Hahim region of Assam’s Kamrup district on Tuesday, July 1. This step marks a pivotal moment in the phased implementation of a historic agreement between the two Northeastern states to settle territorial claims that have sparked decades of tension.
The installation work officially commenced at Rongthali village in Hahim and will continue along the banks of the Gijang River, covering key areas like Umchek (Mathapota), Mashpara, Malapara, Ranighar, Tirchang River, Chalpara, Thutiyabazar, and Athiyabari-Rangchapara near Hahim market. Survey officials confirmed that subsequent work will soon begin in the adjacent Gijang area to ensure comprehensive demarcation across all settled zones.
This field-level demarcation effort follows years of negotiations led by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma. Both leaders have held multiple rounds of high-level talks since 2021, culminating in the identification of twelve disputed sectors. The first phase of the resolution process, concluded on March 29, 2022, successfully settled six contentious areas—Hahim, Gijang, Tarabari, Boklapara, Khanapara-Pilingkata, and Batachera—paving the way for the current ground-level activity.
The latest meeting between the two Chief Ministers on June 2, 2025, reaffirmed a joint commitment to complete the boundary pillar installations in the resolved areas before India’s Independence Day. The move is being hailed as a critical stride toward lasting peace, governance clarity, and cross-border cooperation in one of the Northeast’s most sensitive regions.
Locals in Hahim have welcomed the initiative, calling it a long-overdue resolution that could bring an end to years of uncertainty, periodic clashes, and jurisdictional confusion. Residents expressed optimism that the formal boundary markers will instill a stronger sense of administrative belonging and help channel development efforts more effectively in the region.
With groundwork now underway, the collaborative efforts between Assam and Meghalaya stand as a rare example of peaceful inter-state resolution in India’s complex federal landscape, signalling hope for similar outcomes in other disputed territories across the Northeast.