By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The State PWD is once again in the process of preparing a detailed project report for the much delayed Shillong-Dawki bridge located at Dawki.
Sources from the department here said that the Union Ministry of Road, Transport and Highways is not happy as the bidders have quoted higher rates than the expectations of the ministry.
The authority to award the contract for construction of the bridge lies with the Ministry and the PWD is only facilitating the tender process.
“We are updating the DPR and after the approval we will re-invite the tenders,” sources said here
The construction of the 165-meter-long bridge has been delayed since December 2009 when the then Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Mahadev Singh Khandela laid the foundation of the two-lane Shillong-Dawki bridge.
Sources also informed that another reason leading to the delay is the lack of bidders as last time only two bidders one from outside and one from the State applied for it.
The Ministry of Road, Transport and Highway has sanctioned Rs 23 crore for double-laning of the bridge.
The bridge assumes significance in view of the fact that it connects Dawki with neighbouring Bangladesh.
“The new bridge would be constructed below the existing motorable suspension bridge built by the British in 1932.