Asks locals to maintain law & order, cleanliness
SHILLONG: Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Saturday inaugurated the seven-kilometre long Shillong-Mawlai bypass which is expected to decongest traffic along the Mawiong- Shillong stretch by at least 30 per cent.
The original cost estimate of the road was Rs 20 crore, but it was subsequently revised to Rs 27.87 crore.
Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said that the inauguration of the road is just a small step towards reducing traffic jams in the city as more needs to be done in this regard.
Terming traffic congestion as an important issue, he said that the government is soon going to repair a road which starts from Mawmi village and ends at Shillong-Nongstoin road. Tourists going to Sohra can take this road which offers scenic locations like the full view of Umiam Lake and Shillong city, he said.
“We have decided that this road must be made commercial and people can take the particular road until the western bypass comes up,” the chief minister said adding the process is on to finalise the consultant for the bypass.
Asking everyone to maintain the road, law and order etc, Sangma said that society and local residents should ensure that it does not become a dumping ground and a den of anti-social activities.
He also said that a lot of tourists will use the new road and one single untoward incident involving them will bring a bad name to the state.
“Tourists must be welcomed and society must sensitise people to welcome them when they pass through here,” he said.
Earlier, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said that the road will be beneficial for the people including the residents and tourists even as he informed that the government has many other road projects which are in the pipeline and which are being designed to reduce traffic jams in the area.
Mawlai MLA PT Sawkmie who also spoke on the occasion highlighted various grievances faced by the people of the constituency and sought better roads in the area besides asking the government to take steps to ensure that traffic is reduced.
Later, chief minister also inaugurated the Mawkyntoh Umshing police Outpost which was lying in dilapidated condition for a long time.