SHILLONG: Two major development initiatives of the Urban Affairs department have brought good news to the trouble-torn Garo Hills region ravaged by insurgency.
Construction of an inter-state bus terminus and dwelling places for the urban poor and the slum dwellers in Tura, West Garo Hills are the projects which are making good progress.
The Principal Secretary in-charge Urban Affairs P Naik has said that the project for the construction of dwelling places for the urban poor was sanctioned by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation in February, 2008 under Integrated Housing and Slum Development Programme of JNNURM.
456 dwelling units with necessary infrastructure will be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs. 2181.73 lakh (Rs. 896.99 lakh Central share and Rs. 1284.74 lakh state share).
The project consisted construction of 48 dwelling units at Mondol Tilla and 408 units at Dakopgre.According to Naik, while 48 dwelling units were completed during 2011-12 and beneficiaries were rehabilitated, construction at Dakopgre was initiated in March 2012 after disposal of a case by the High Court.
Physical progress of the work is 80% and it is expected to be completed by March, 2015. The dwelling units having floor area of 28.14 sq.mt each has one bedroom, one multi-purpose room, kitchen, toilet, bathroom and a balcony. The housing colony will have necessary infrastructures such as road, water supply, drainage, street light, organized open space and a multi-purpose community hall.
Bus terminus : While the Inter State Bus Terminus in Shillong is yet to become a reality, West Garo Hills has made progress in the construction of a terminus.
The project was conceived in order to relieve the traffic congestion in Tura and the outskirts.
Naik said that a vacant plot of land measuring 19.14 acres at Chasingre belonging to Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Department adjacent to National Highway was identified for the purpose. The Detailed Project Report was prepared and submitted to the Ministry of Urban Development for funding under 10 % lump sum fund for development of Northeastern states.
The project was sanctioned in March 2012 at an estimated cost of Rs. 4532.44 lakh. The terminus will have facilities for embarkation and disembarkation bays, depot, workshop, parking space for city buses, auto-rickshaws, taxis and two wheelers. The terminus building will have waiting lounge, cafeteria, retail shops, tourist information center, drivers and conductors rest room among others. The National Building Construction Corporation is executing the project and the physical progress is around 78%. The project is expected to be completed by January 2015.