New 'Meghalaya House' in Mumbai a 'dream come true', says CM Conrad Sangma
Mumbai, Aug 8
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Saturday described the foundation stone laying of a new Meghalaya House in Mumbai as a "dream come true", thanking the Maharashtra government for helping the state secure prime land in Kharghar for the facility.
Sangma and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis jointly laid the foundation stone for the new Meghalaya House at Kharghar in Navi Mumbai, marking a significant step towards strengthening Meghalaya's institutional presence in Maharashtra and providing better facilities to people from the northeastern state.
"For us as a State of Meghalaya, today almost feels like a dream," Sangma said, expressing gratitude to Fadnavis, the Maharashtra Cabinet, officials, CIDCO and the local representatives for supporting the project.
He said the new facility was particularly significant because of the difficulties involved in securing land and space in a major metropolitan city like Mumbai. "At the end of the day, this is not something that we are doing for us; this is for the people of Meghalaya," Sangma said, underlining the citizen-centric objective of the project.
The Chief Minister highlighted the growing presence of people from Meghalaya in Maharashtra, particularly Mumbai, across healthcare, education, business, music, sports and entrepreneurship. He said the new Meghalaya House would further deepen the relationship between the two states and strengthen the connection between their people.
The existing Meghalaya House at Vashi, established in 2008, has only 12 rooms and has been facing increasing demand, particularly from patients and attendants travelling to Mumbai for treatment at Tata Memorial Hospital. Students, government officials, entrepreneurs, sportspersons and tourists from Meghalaya also use the facility.
The new Meghalaya House will come up on 2,071.67 square metres of land at Kharghar and is expected to significantly expand accommodation and public facilities for Meghalaya residents visiting Mumbai.
Fadnavis, meanwhile, highlighted the strong cultural and people-to-people ties between Maharashtra and Meghalaya, particularly through students, professionals and artists from the Northeast. The event also featured a cultural performance by Khmih Creative Society under the Chief Minister's Meghalaya Grassroots Music Programme, showcasing the state's rich artistic traditions.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, Minister Sosthen K. Sohtun, Rajya Sabha MP Milind Deora and senior officials from both states attended the ceremony.
— IANS
Reader Comments
It's heartening to see states cooperating like this. I'm from Meghalaya but work in Mumbai, and honestly, the Northeast is often overlooked in the national conversation. Having a proper Meghalaya House here will make a huge difference for students and working professionals who need a place to stay initially. Well done!
As a Maharashtrian, I'm genuinely happy for our Northeastern friends. We have so many talented students, artists, and professionals from Meghalaya contributing to Mumbai's energy. This is what cooperative federalism looks like — the Kharghar location is great too, near the upcoming international airport. Both states win here! 😊
Good initiative, but I wish they'd also focus on the NE students who face discrimination in metros. A building is just infrastructure — we need more awareness campaigns to ensure people from the Northeast feel welcomed and safe in Mumbai. The Meghalaya grassroots music programme at the event was a nice touch though.
This is beautiful! As someone whose uncle was treated at Tata Memorial, I know how desperate families get looking for affordable accommodation. The 12 rooms at Vashi were always booked weeks in advance. The new Meghalaya House with expanded capacity will literally save lives. Thank you CM Conrad Sangma and CM Fadnavis for prioritizing this!
Great example of why federalism matters. I'm a student from Shillong studying in Pune, and it's not easy getting temporary accommodation when you first arrive. Having a proper Meghalaya House in Navi Mumbai will help so
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