By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The ongoing work for four-laning project along the National Highway-40, which was stalled for a few days following the death of a youth due to careless blasting of boulders, has resumed again.
The KSU and the RBYF had banned blasting of boulders along the highway after the youth, Baniarap Markhap, who was on his way from Guwahati, died on the spot at Shangbangla due to indiscriminate blasting of boulders in the area on March 8.
Following the incident, most of the labourers associated with Ramky Infrastructure, which is implementing the four-lane project, fled the State thus putting the work to a halt.
“Apart from the Shangbangla area, the work has resumed in almost all the stretches,” Ri-Bhoi Deputy Commissioner Akashdeep said while adding that the work at Shangbangla will also resume in a day or two.
Reacting to a query, the Deputy Commissioner said that there is no direct threat to the safety of the labourers and the District Administration has already asked the district police to intensify patrolling along the highway.
Akashdeep also expressed confidence that the break in work will not affect the project.
It may be mentioned that the ‘errring wokers’ responsible for the March 8 fatal accident are still absconding.
The much awaited four lane project has already been into controversy when NGOs and some residents moved to the court against the State Government’s decision to construct the road through Umsning Bypass.
The four-laning of NH-40 from Jorabat to Umiam, covering 61.8 km at an estimated cost of Rs 536 crore is expected to be fully completed in the early part of 2014.