Umiam-Mawlai road widening: Govt in talks with landowners

SHILLONG: Deputy Chief Minister and in-charge, PWD, Prestone Tynsong on Saturday said the department is holding discussions with landowners to part with their land for converting the Umiam-Mawlai stretch into four lane.
It may be mentioned that the four lane road from Jorabat ends at Umiam after which it is two way up to Shillong.
“If we can get land, we will extend the four lane road till Mawlai Banalari,” he said. Tynsong said the problem is compounded as the stretch from Mawiong to the city often remains packed with vehicles.
Tynsong also said that the Mawlai Bypass is in the final stages and it will be ready by May this year. The road is expected to reduce traffic in the Mawlai-Mawiong area.
Reacting to a query on JICA’s deadline to the state government to complete 90 per cent of the land acquisition for Dawki-Umiam road project failing which funds may be diverted, Tynsong said that the government is on the job and it would be able to complete land acquisition by May.
He also stated that social impact assessment of a few stages of the project is being carried out and it is likely to be over by end of this month.