Land acquisition after final survey
SHILLONG: The State government will start acquiring land for the widening of the 71.5-km road from Shillong to Dawki after the final survey of the project is complete.
PWD (Roads) Minister MM Danggo held a meeting on Thursday with local MLAs Ronnie V. Lyngdoh and Prestone Tynsong in the presence of the representatives of Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) to expedite the road project.
Speaking to media persons after the meeting, Danggo said the road will be of international standard. The total budget of the project, excluding land acquisition, is Rs 1,251 crore that will be funded by JICA.
On acquiring defence land, the Minister said the authorities are cooperating with the government. “We have had a word with the station commanders of 101 Area and Eastern Air Command and they are very responsive,” he said and added that the KHADC has also agreed to give its consent to the project.
The project proposes to build a four-lane road from Umshyrpi to Mylliem and from there a two-lane road to Dawki-Tamabil.
The road, which will take two and a half years to be complete after the issuing of tender, will also include a 368-m long and 12.5-m wide bridge in Dawki.
On the other hand, Nakamura Jun, a delegate from JICA said the company is conducting an exercise in the State to see if the proposed project is feasible.
“We will examine the study report,” Jun said and added that the matter will be decided based on the report he is going to submit to JICA.