Meghalaya

The Managing Director, Meghalaya Transport Corporation (MTC) has informed that based on the decision of the Board of Directors, the MTC will discontinue school bus operation with effect from April 1, 2026. The STEMS is currently providing school bus service and the general public may consider enrolling with them as an alternative, added the Managing Director, MTC. For decades, MTC’s school buses have been a familiar sight on Shillong’s roads and in district headquarters—often running long past their expected lifespan. Many of these buses have served for years as commuters put it, carrying multiple generations of schoolchildren despite aging fleets and mounting maintenance challenges. The phase-out thus marks not just an operational change, but the end of a long chapter in Meghalaya’s p...

National People’s Party (NPP) national president and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on January 8 said the party has begun full-scale preparations for the upcoming Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections and called on party leaders and workers to remain united and disciplined to ensure sustained development across the state. Addressing a party function at Betasing in South West Garo Hills, attended by senior leaders, MLAs and Cabinet Minister Marcuise Marak, Sangma urged party workers to place faith in the organisation’s leadership and collective strength. He said public mandates carry responsibility rather than power and emphasised the need for daily accountability in improving people’s lives. Referring to challenges faced by the GHADC in recent years, parti...

National People’s Party (NPP) national president and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma emphasized the party's readiness for the forthcoming Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC) elections during an address at the Betasing party office in Southwest Garo Hills. He called on party leaders and members to uphold unity and discipline in order to foster sustained development within the state. Sangma underscored the government’s dedication to grassroots development and inclusive growth specifically in the Garo Hills region, encouraging party members to enhance organizational efforts and maintain strong connections with the local populace. Addressing ongoing challenges faced by the GHADC, such as salary backlogs and administrative disruptions, the Chief Minister revealed th...

Meghalaya is in the grip of an intense winter chill after Mawkyrwat recorded the state’s lowest temperature at –0.8°C on January 7, the coldest reading reported so far this season, according to the India Meteorological Department (IMD). The IMD has issued a dense fog and ground frost warning at isolated places for January 8, cautioning residents and commuters as dry but cold conditions continue across the state. Early morning hours are expected to see reduced visibility, particularly in low-lying and valley areas. Mawkyrwat is the district headquarters of South West Khasi Hills district and is 75 kms from Shillong. Weather officials attributed the prevailing conditions to a cyclonic circulation over Tripura and neighbouring regions, extending up to 1.5 km above mean sea level, which is...

Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAS) in Meghalaya have announced an indefinite strike starting January 8, demanding the release of pending incentives. Addressing media on Wednesday, Adviser of the ASHA Workers' Union Sonny Kharjana, stated, "We have taken a decision to suspend work until the government pays the incentives to the ASHAS in the whole state". The union had given a deadline to the state government on December 19, 2025 to clear the dues, but the incentives remain unpaid. Kharjana expressed frustration, saying, "Some districts and some PHCS, CHCs, the ASHAS have not received incentives for the last 5-10 months. The ASHAS are getting only Rs150-Rs 200 incentives". The National Health Mission (NHM) attributes the delay to a technical issue, having shifted the payment s...

The Meghalaya Human Rights Commission has taken suo motu cognisance of two deaths at an illegal coal mining site in Thangsko village, East Jaintia Hills District, and directed police to submit a comprehensive inquiry report. The commission issued a notice to the District Superintendent of Police following media reports about a suspected dynamite blast at the mine on December 23, 2025. Secretary L. Ch Marak confirmed the body had initiated the investigation on its own accord after the incident appeared in local newspapers. The explosion claimed two lives and left several others injured. One victim, suspected to be a Bangladeshi national, died on the day of the blast. The second victim, Ashok Tamang, died from his injuries on January 1 whilst undergoing treatment in the surgical ward at ...

The Voice of the People Party (VPP) highlighted a significant divide regarding railway connectivity between the Garo Hills and Khasi-Jaintia Hills in Meghalaya. VPP spokesperson Batskhem Myrboh emphasized the lack of a clear policy framework on railway expansion, creating confusion and differing regional stances. While he acknowledged the importance of infrastructure for economic growth, he questioned the rationale for opposing railways in some areas while existing rail connectivity is present elsewhere. Myrboh noted that opposition to railways in the Khasi-Jaintia region does not effectively mitigate concerns about migration or security, suggesting that individuals could access these areas via established railways in the Garo Hills. The urgency of the issue is underscored by increasing l...

The Additional Deputy Commissioner of Pynursla Civil Sub-Division on Tuesday announced that the road closure for the stretch from Laitlyngkot to Lyngkyrdem (Chainage Kms 24+00-37+00) will be re- implemented with effect from January 8. The revised closure timings will be from 11.30 am to 4pm during daytime and from 9pm to 4am during night-time. "The above closure arrangement will be temporary and on a daily basis for a period effective from the 08th of January, 2026 and shall remain in force until further notice. All traffic will be permitted to cross from both ends (i.e. Lyngkyrdem & Laitlyngkot) latest by 11.30 am after which from 12 noon onwards, construction works will be started by the concerned company along the said stretch," the ADC said. All commuters and members of the ...

Police in Meghalaya's East Jaintia Hills district have initiated a Suo motu case following the death of Ashok Tamang, a worker who sustained severe burn injuries from an alleged dynamite explosion last month. The case is registered under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, concerning culpable homicide in accidental death cases. Tamang passed away on January 1, 2026, while undergoing treatment at Shillong Civil Hospital. His dying declaration indicated that the explosion occurred while he was handling dynamite at work but did not specify the location or link to coal mining activities. The investigation, led by Superintendent of Police Vikash Kumar, aims to identify Tamang's workplace and clarify the conditions under which he handled explosives. Initial inquiries have raised ...

On 6th January, 2026, acting on reliable source information, a Police team from Salmanpara and Ampati Police Stations, South West Garo Hills District, conducted a successful search operation in a bamboo grove near Santogre village, under Salmanpara Police Station. During the search operation, the Police team unearthed ammunition buried in the bamboo grove near Santogre village. In the operation, the team recovered 55 (fifty-five) Nos. of suspected live anti-aircraft ammunition. The recovered items were seized at the spot in the presence of independent witnesses. Further investigation is underway to ascertain the source and other related details. According to a statement issued by Superintendent of Police Vikash Varma, the police team unearthed 55 suspected live anti-aircraft ammunition...