Shillong, March 16: The state government plans four lanes from Umshyrpi Bridge to Barik Point after scrapping the elevated corridor.
The initiative is after consultations with the Army and highway agencies found the fly‑over unviable.
“The proposal of an elevated road seems to be not that feasible. We decided recently that right from Umshyrpi Bridge up to Barik Point will be converted into four‑lane instead of elevated road,” Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, who holds PWD (Roads), told reporters on Monday.
Tynsong said the change followed a meeting chaired by the chief minister Conrad K Sangma and attended by the Army officials.
“We discussed all the details and we have asked PWD and NHIDCL together with Army officers to have a joint inspection and ultimately work out how much area or land is required. But the decision was taken that day that four‑lane should be in place instead of an elevated road.”
Regarding the Shillong–Dawki road project, Tynsong said, “Right now the company…is trying its best to make sure that targeted date is followed.
New Umiam bridge
Tynsong said the new bridge near Umiam dam is in the final stages of completion and will be opened shortly.
“It is more or less completed as there is a few percentage of remaining works…Very soon, we are going to inaugurate that bridge,” Tynsong said.
Tynsong said, “The road is being constructed for commercial vehicles, but light vehicles can still ply from the main check dam…We allow…heavy vehicles and commercial vehicles will ply from the newly constructed bridge.”
