NONGSTOIN: Nongstoin legislator Hoping Stone Lyngdoh on Thursday met Chief Engineer PWD (Roads) S Chyrmang at Shillong to apprise him of the pathetic road condition between Nongstoin and Sohpian in West Khasi Hills.
The MLA met the Chief Engineer to draw his attention to the pathetic condition of the Nongstoin-Sohpian road and sought for urgent repair in view of the fact that the Synod Sepngi is due to take place next year which is expected to attract thousands of believers from across the State.
The legislator reminded the Chief Engineer that the seven-km stretch of road located on the outskirts of Nongstoin would not offer such a warm welcome to the believers despite the best efforts of the members of the Synod.
The Chief Engineer informed the MLA that the project for the reconstruction of the road along with widening plans has been sent to the Centre which has already sanctioned Rs 3 crore out of the total of Rs 5 crore estimated for the repair work. He also informed that tender for the project would be floated soon.
The legislator, while thanking the Chief Engineer for his efforts, sought for implementation of the project before the Synod next year.
It may be mentioned that this seven-km stretch is seen as a blot on the face of Nongstoin. People travelling to Nongstoin from Shillong have to undergo the ordeal of driving along an almost non-existent road. Moreover, with the diversion of traffic from Riangdo- Athiabari, the Nongstoin- Sohpian stretch is now being used by additional loaded trucks that are worsening the road condition. The condition of the road is so bad that it takes almost an hour to commute through the seven-km stretch, not to mention the damage it causes to the vehicles.
Earlier, various NGOs of Nongstoin had protested and demanded repair of this stretch and had even called for night road blockade in West Khasi Hills.
However, the blockade was called off after the PWD (Roads) assured that the stretch would be repaired. Incidentally, the patch work that was done in the name of repair hardly lasted a week after which the road went back to its dilapidated state.
