Apprehensions over fate of four laning project
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The long-awaited four laning work on National Highway 40 has proved to be the proverbial Achilles’ heel for the State Government which is now finding itself between the Devil and the deep sea as two opposing factions have emerged with each wanting the State Government to act on their demands in the said project.
The four laning project has become a bone of contention between the JAC, a conglomerate of Ri-Bhoi NGOs, and the Ri-Bhoi Students’ Union (RBSU). While the Students’ body wants the Government to proceed with the four laning from the existing road at Umsning, the JAC wants the Government to construct the four laning from Umsning Bypass.
Frustrated with the antipodal demands of the NGOs and the RBSU and the seemingly languid approach of the State Government to resolve the issue, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI), which is executing the four laning project, has already warned that the people of the State may lose out on the project.
The NHAI has already intimated the State Government to hand over land for the proposed project at the earliest, but considering the roadblocks — largely due to the opposition by the NGOs and partly due to the inept decision-making capacity of the government — there is widespread apprehension that the project might never see the light of the day.
The State Government was, first, in favour of construction from the Umsning Bypass and had accordingly asked NHAI to prepare the Detailed Project Report, while initiating the process of land acquisition for the four laning. However, due to opposition by NGOs, the State Assembly approved a new plan to construct the four laning at Umsning, without the hindsight that there would be opposition to the new plan as well.
Meanwhile, in what may be termed as delayed reaction to the fears expressed by NHAI, Chief Secretary WMS Pariat, on Saturday, said the Government would invite the NHAI for a detailed discussion on the fate of the project after the Durga puja celebrations.
Justifying the State Government’s decision to go ahead with the four laning from the existing road at Umsning, Pariat stated that the decision was taken following opposition by NGOs who were against the four laning from Umsning Bypass.
Blaming the NGOs for the hitch in implementing the project, Pariat said, “There are two set of NGOs in Ri-Bhoi with opposite demands. One group is opposed to the construction from Umsning Bypass, whereas the other group is against the four laning at Umsning.”
It now seems that in the tussle between the NGOs and the State Government the people of the State may turn out to be the sole losers.