Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Friday that officials erected the first boundary pillar along a previously disputed section of the Assam-Meghalaya border. This marks a major step toward resolving the decades-old border dispute between the two states.
Sarma described the boundary pillars as “pillars of clarity and peace” that will bring clear governance to areas once mired in ambiguity and conflict.
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He shared the news on X, calling it a key milestone in implementing the 2022 agreement signed between Assam and Meghalaya.
When Meghalaya separated from Assam in 1972, Sarma explained, a significant portion of the boundary remained undefined, causing frequent tensions. After nearly 50 years, the two states signed a historic memorandum of understanding (MoU) in 2022 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership and in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah, aiming to clearly define the border.
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Sarma said the states have resolved disputes in six out of twelve contested areas so far. The first pillar’s installation represents tangible progress from the agreement, and Sarma noted that establishing jurisdiction through these markers will improve governance for local communities and administrations in these formerly disputed zones.
He tagged Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, highlighting ongoing cooperation between the states.
At a joint press conference on June 2, Sarma and Sangma pledged to install boundary pillars in five disputed areas before Independence Day. They acknowledged differences over the sixth disputed site, Pilingkata, and agreed to resolve it through discussions between district officials. They also committed to continue talks on the remaining six disputed areas, with no fixed timeline yet.
The Assam-Meghalaya border stretches about 885 kilometers and includes twelve disputed areas. The 2022 agreement, signed in New Delhi with Home Minister Amit Shah present, settled six disputes by dividing roughly 36.79 square kilometers almost equally—18.46 to Assam and 18.33 to Meghalaya.
The border dispute stems from Meghalaya’s creation from Assam territory in 1972. Since then, Meghalaya has contested the Assam Reorganisation Act, 1971, which Assam uses to define the border.