SHILLONG: Travelling on the four-lane Guwahati-Shillong road is definitely a joyride with the scenic beauty around but several bumpy stretches on the road can jolt one back to unpleasant reality.
The potholes on the PWD road from Mawlai to the Umiam junction are getting bigger posing a threat to commuters, especially during monsoon.
The 5-km Umsning road is also full of potholes making the zone accident-prone. Traffic too becomes slow on the stretch.
On Thursday morning, a truck broke down on the stretch and was there till evening. A few traffic police personnel were deployed near the truck to regulate the traffic.
The NH-40 is in a deplorable state and commuters crossing the stretch every day have to bear with bumpy rides. Landslides and waterlogging on the highway have worsened the situation.
However, the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) recently told the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of the Dorbar Shnong in Umsning area that the existing road would be “fully” blacktopped in October this year.
Earlier, even Chief Minister Mukul Sangma had asked NHAI to expedite the overlay of the road.
On Thursday, mud was found rolling down the slopes between Nongpoh and Umsning after heavy rainfall. Mud water flows through the road when it rains heavily in the area.
Though, no major landslides have been reported in the highway in the past 2-3 years following various measures taken by NHAI, the situation demands more preventive measures to avoid disaster.
