From Our Special Correspondent
New Delhi: In what would be a big relief for the residents of Jowai town, the Centre on Wednesday agreed to construct a major road project along with link roads, drains and bridges within the district headquarters of West Jaintia Hills which will decongest the existing roads and provide better civic amenities to the people.
Union Minister for Urban Development, Kamal Nath agreed to consider a Rs 100 crore proposal for the project. The proposal was submitted by Deputy Chief Minister and Jowai MLA, Prof. RC Laloo, who met the Union Minister in Parliament along with both the Congress MPs from the State – Vincent H Pala and Wansuk Syiem.
Considering the funds constraints, the Ministry of Urban Development should fund the entire project, the State legislators said.
The concept paper presented by the legislators stated that out of the proposed Rs 100 crore, Rs 30 crore would be spent on strengthening the 36 km internal roads of Jowai, Rs 20 crore would be required for construction of 15 km of new roads and the rest of the funds will be utilized for construction of two bridges, drains, sewage lines and foot paths.
The detailed concept paper of the scheme submitted by Prof. Laloo includes construction and blacktopping of internal roads in Jowai.
During the meeting with the Union Minister the legislator argued that Jowai is one of the fastest growing towns in the State and suffers from heavy traffic congestion with hundreds of loaded trucks, passengers vehicles both commercial and private, plying through the town.
A large number of people have also migrated from different parts of the district to Jowai which also houses many government offices, schools and colleges. The number of vehicles in the town consequently has also increased many fold, Prof. Laloo argued.