SHILLONG: The proposed up gradation of National Highway 44 from Jowai in West Jaintia Hills to Malidor on the Meghalaya-Assam border, which was scheduled to start last year, will be further delayed.
West Jaintia Hills Deputy Commissioner P.S. Dkhar on Tuesday informed that the project, under which the Jowai-Malidor stretch is scheduled to be converted into a two lane highway with paved shoulders on either side, required additional land for setting up of infrastructures like toll gates, junctions and others. He stated that the district administration had written to the respective land owners to give their land for the vital project.
The official also informed that the National Highway Authority of India, which is the implementing agency, wants to conduct one more survey of the stretch.
Seeking to avoid confusion with regard to payment of compensation for land, Dkhar informed that compensation would be released at one go only after all details of the project have been taken care of.
The total cost of the project is estimated to be Rs.368.88 crore including environmental cost of Rs.2.28 crore and another Rs.9.17 crore for shifting of utilities, land acquisition and resettlement & rehabilitation.
The expansion work of the arterial NH 44 has been approved under Phase III of the National Highway Development Programme.
