DC to hold talks with agitating NGOs
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The State Government has decided to go ahead with the proposal for four-laning the existing road at Umsning.
“We will go by the unanimous decision taken by the Assembly in the last budget session to go ahead with the four-laning work along the existing road at Umsning,” PWD Minister HDR Lyngdoh told reporters here on Tuesday.
When asked about the group of NGOs who are in favour of the four-laning process through the proposed Umsning by-pass, he said the Government took this decision after taking into consideration the merits and demerits of the report submitted by the Ri-Bhoi Deputy Commissioner, M Kharmujai.
Earlier, the State Government had directed Kharmujai to examine the ground realities on the feasibility of the Jorabat-Umiam four-lane project either from the existing Umsning road or by aligning the Umsning by-pass.
He said the Government would direct the Deputy Commissioner to hold talks with the four NGOs (KSU, FKJGP, HNYF and CORP) who called the night road blockade to oppose the Government proposal.
“The Deputy Commissioner would also convey to the NGOs the decision taken by the Government,” the PWD Minister added.
The NGOs who are in favour of having the four-lane passing through the Umsning Bypass have called a night road blockade from 7 pm of September 9 till 5 am the following day.
It may be mentioned that work for widening of NH-40 began early this year, but it came to a standstill at Umsning in Ri-Bhoi district after controversies relating to land compensation and re-alignment cropped up recently.An NHAI official dealing with the by-pass project had earlier stated that the State Government is yet to hand over the land for the six-kilometer Umsning by-pass.