SHILLONG: The prol-onged delay in land acquisition in Khasi Hills sector has hit hurdles in the early completion of the much-awaited Shillong- Tura road which is being executed by the Hyderabad-based company BSC-C&C JV .
Executive Engineer PWD ( Roads) WR Lyngdoh said that the area where land is not acquired includes Upper Shillong , 7th mile at Umdingpun to Lad Mawreng, which is 6 km.
Other area is 13 km of Sohiong by pass where villagers are keen to start the work, but the land has not been officially handed over to the company.
Moreover, in Mawmaram works at some portions are left out since land has not been acquired.
In West Khasi Hills, the land measuring around 7 kms at Kynshi-Langtor is yet to be handed over to the company.
However, from Nongstoin to Nongshrang (87 km), there has been significant progress in the work and from Nongshrang to Rongjeng (another 9 km), construction is in progress.
Since Rongjeng to Darugre is under NH 62, there is a gap as the work is not carried out by BSC-C&C JV.
From Dadengre to Rongrengre junction, there is no hurdle and moreover, there is a significant progress in work in the area from Rongrengre to Samanda, officials said.
On the other hand, work between Samanda to Jengjal, which will be around 29 km, is yet to start.
Though the agreement to execute the work was made on February 21,2011,the actual work started in November the same year.
Black topping of 193.7 km was completed out of the 264.3 km and at present work only 70.6 km is pending. The company so far has completed around 73 per cent of the work.
The Shillong-Tura road once completed will help to have direct access to Garo Hills instead of going via Guwahati.
For the raw materials to complete the construction, the company BSC-C&C JV had sought environmental clearance under mining of minor minerals at four places,Langtor, Riangdo, Samanda and Susanagir and subsequently environment clearance was granted by the State Environment Impact Assessment Authority .
When contacted, BSC-C&C JV said that mining has nothing to do with taking away any mineral as it was part of construction aggregate.
