Land acquisition process yet to be completed
SHILLONG: The completion of the ongoing Shillong-Nongstoin-Tura project is likely to be delayed as the land acquisition process is yet to be completed in some portions of the road.
Even though the deadline to complete the project is March 2014, a senior government official said that they are strong possibilities that the project is going to miss the deadline due to the delay in the land acquisition process.
He informed that the Government was still waiting to acquire the land at Mairang, Hynniew Mer (Upper Shillong and East Garo Hills.
“The delay in acquiring the land at Mairang is because of the delay in payment of the land compensation to the land owners. We hope that Government would release the necessary fund for payment of the land compensation to be able to take over the land at the earliest,” the official said.
While referring to the land at Hynniew Mer, he said that the negotiation is still on since the land belongs to the Forest and Environment department.
“We hope that the Forest and Environment department would be able to take a decision at the earliest to hand over the land to the PWD,” the official said adding that the department was also facing problem in getting land in few stretches of the road in East Garo Hills.
“We can take up the construction immediately once the land acquisition process is completed,” the official said while informing that the progress of the work is quite satisfactory along the stretches where they have acquired the land.
The work along the 264.30-kilometer Shillong-Nongstoin-Tura road at an estimated cost of Rs 1494 crore started in February, 2011and the timeline to finish the project is March, 2014.
The project, once completed, would provide major relief to the people who have to travel through Assam to reach Garo Hills.
The existing Shillong-Nongstoin-Tura Highway is in a dilapidated condition despite the road being declared as a National Highway in 2004.
It may be mentioned that the project is being implemented by Hyderabad-based firm M/S BSC-C &C (JV).