Shillong, Aug 19: Meghalaya State Planning Board (MSPB) members inspected the road from Umshyrpi to 7th Mile, Upper Shillong and asked the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) and contractors to speed up the completion of the four-lane road, which is part of the Shillong-Dawki road project.
The inspection was led by MSPB Chairman Metbah Lyngdoh, accompanied by board members and officials from the PWD and NHIDCL.
Lyngdoh expressed concern over the slow progress of work while speaking to reporters on Tuesday.
He cited the difficulties faced by daily commuters, particularly those from West Khasi Hills, South West Khasi Hills, Eastern West Khasi Hills, and parts of East Khasi Hills.
“People are facing major challenges travelling from the 7th Mile, Upper Shillong, up to Anjalee petrol pump, as it takes them 1 – 2 hours. We feel it is a matter of concern that people have to spend a lot of time travelling this stretch of the road, especially in times of emergencies,” he said.
“I also keep on travelling through this road to Mairang daily, and I am also facing the same problem in reaching the destination.”
Giving the reason for the delay to complete the bypass at 3rd Mile, Upper Shillong, he said the inspection revealed that contractors are facing hurdles, including issues related to shifting pipes, which will take another two months to resolve.
“The contractors have assured that they will complete the bypass within two months and open it to traffic,” Lyngdoh said.
Low-quality work
The chairman of the board said the quality of work on some retaining walls is not up to standard.
“Specifically, the retaining wall near the Umshyrpi bridge is tilting, raising technical concerns. PWD officials have reportedly flagged these issues with the contractor and NHIDCL”, he said.
The project is targeted for completion by December 2025. MSPB has asked NHIDCL to submit the schedule for the completion of work, emphasising the need for timely completion to alleviate the daily hardships faced by commuters.
“We have stressed that the project should be completed at the earliest as it has created a lot of problems for the people of the state daily,” Lyngdoh said.
