NONGSTOIN: The road leading to Assam from Riangdo via Athiabari in West Khasi Hills District is taken by hundreds of trucks on a daily basis.
Even when the roads are highly frequented by trucks, it has failed to draw the attention of the PWD (Roads) as the road is screaming for repair.
Interestingly the road was repaired in December, 2013 by M/S Agarwal and Co. Barely a week after the repair, it began to wear out and within two months, the condition of the road is back to the way it was. The people of the area’s dream of an all weather road were short- lived.
Taking cognizance of the bad road condition, president of the KSU (Mawshynrut Circle) Armstrong Sohshiang said, “The work done by the Agarwal Co was not black topping but rather black painting.”
He added that though the contractor might have been very pleased with the bill that he had received for the work, people of the area are extremely disheartened and have lost all faith in the PWD (Roads).
It may be mentioned that throughout West Khasi Hills District, to get to any destination is a ride one will never forget and not because of the scenic beauty it offers but because of the bumpy ride that they would have to partake.
Owing to the lackadaisical road conditions in the district, recently three NGOs have decided to boycott the ensuing MDC and MP elections. Earlier, five NGOs in Nongstoin had called a 12-hour road blockade in Nongstoin because of the bad road condition.