Disputed road project to get clearance soon

SHILLONG: The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has said it will approve the project for two-laning of Nongstoin-Wahkaji road in its next high-powered committee meeting.
The status report of the National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) says the proposal for signing of tripartite agreement between NHIDCL, PWD Meghalaya and M/s Chaitanaya Projects Consulting Pvt Ltd, the contractor, is under process.
The bid for civil work has been invited and the last date is November 15.
The 43.06-km road is to be taken up at a cost of Rs 365.66 crore that includes land acquisition.
The NHIDCL status report also mentioned about the two-laning of Wahkaji-Phlangdiloin-Ranikor
and Domiasiat-Mawthabah road. The consultant submitted the final DPR to the state PWD last year, it said.
The tripartite agreement for the 35-km road, which will be constructed at a cost of Rs 259.37 crore, will be signed soon. Pressure groups in the state have been opposing the projects over apprehensions that the roads would facilitate uranium mining. They want the government to repair the roads and not construct new ones.