PWD and Urban Affairs dept to revamp roads
SHILLONG: As the traffic situation is thrown off balance in the over congested capital city, the State PWD has decided to work in tandem with the allied departments including the Urban Affairs Department to overhaul the narrow roads besides beautifying the city.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, PWD Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar said, “We will jointly discuss with the Urban Affairs and the Chief Minister the issue of damaged roads and beautification of city.”
Stating that he has asked his officers to survey the areas where there is feasibility of constructing flyovers, Dhar stated that the Government intends to construct a flyover from Umshyrpi River till 7th Mile in Upper Shillong.
The capital city at the moment is in a turbulent situation due to the traffic snarls and the situation is expected to worsen when schools and colleges reopen next month.
Traffic jams have been a feature of the city for years now and a respite was expected with the opening of the Shillong Bypass but the overall situation remains the same.
According to Dhar, land availability is a major problem in the State since the land does not belong to the authority but to private individuals thereby forbidding the Government to construct flyovers or expand the city roads.
“Land is a problem here and it is a peculiar problem,” he stated.
Earlier, the State Government had planned to construct a flyover from Raps Mansion to Sweeper Lane but the project could not take off due to the inability of the State Government to acquire land for the project.
Moreover now as the Defence authorities have agreed to part with their land, citizens of the over clogged town are hoping that the swapping process of land between State and Defence authorities would materialize soon which would pave the way for easing the congestion of the unplanned city.
The Government’s noble intention of decongesting Shillong city by way of the proposed New Shillong Township has also been opposed by the pressure groups of the State. However, residents also say that the Government can acquire small stretches of land from Wards Lake, Raj Bhawan and State Central Library which are Government properties to expand some of the overly choked stretches in the city.