4-lane back on track; work begins on Umsning Bypass
SHILLONG: The jinxed four-lane Umiam-Jorabat Expressway project which has been marred by delays and obstacles is finally on its way to completion with the land hurdles in the project finally being eliminated.
Informed sources on Tuesday said a major hurdle has been cleared for the project as the District Administration has handed over the land for construction of the Umsning Bypass.
The implementing agency has begun construction work on the Umsning Bypass, the sources informed, while adding that a major portion of the additional land which was required for the project has been handed over to the firm while the remaining land is likely to be handed over by the administration later this month.
The Umsning Bypass, an integral part of the Expressway project, had suffered stiff opposition from some pressure groups and local residents of Umsning who were opposed to the initial plan of expanding the existing Umsning road into a four-lane road, compelling the State Government to make a new plan of diverting the Expressway by constructing the Umsning Bypass.
The 61.8-km Umiam-Jorabat Expressway project has been taken up by the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) which is executing the work at a tender cost of Rs.536 crore.