SHILLONG: Four MLAs of adjoining constituencies- UDP associate MLA of Mawphlang SK Sunn, Mawsynram Congress MLA HM Shangpliang, UDP MLA of Ranikor Pius Marwein and Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP) MLA Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar met Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on the delay of the project proposal for two-laning of Mawngap-Ranikor road.
The MLAs rued on the delay of signing of agreement by National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation (NHIDCL) with Global Intra Solution for DPR preparation.
The MLAs pointed out that the Mawphlang- Balat Road popularly known as MB Road, which was constructed by the erstwhile Government of Assam in 1965, is a very important road in view of the fact that not only it connects the state capital with the new district head quarter of South West Khasi Hills, Mawkyrwat. However, it is also the only road where the people of four constituencies travel every day when they come to Shillong.
The road also links the state capital with the international border of Bangladesh. Though MB road is of state highway category, it is however of single lane carriage way. The MLAs pointed out to the urgent necessity for conversion of the single lane carriage way into a standard two-lane.
The letter to the chief minister stated that the delay may be due to the fact that there is still no clarity on funding from the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) for the Mawngap – Mawphlang – Laitmawsiang Mawkyrwat – Rangthong – Nongnah – Dirang – Khadphra (Ranikor) road (near Bangladesh Border).
Speaking to reporters after meeting the chief minister, Sunn said the proposal for Mawphlang-Balat road to make it into a National Highway has been approved in principle by the Union Government. Sunn informed that the technical bid was opened on October 2018. He added that the delay is due to the MoRTH which has reviewed all roads which are principally approved as National Highway and are still in process.
The MLAs urged the chief minister to give green signal to the NHIDCL but Sangma said that it cannot be done but assured that the state government will continue to pressurise the union ministry to expedite the declaration of the road as a national highway. The road length is approximately 90-95 km.
Lyngdoh said that the chief minister has agreed to look into the issue.
The amount of the road project is not known as the DPR is yet to be prepared.
Besides the two-laning of the road, the four MLAs also spoke about the road construction of Weiloi-Mawsynram-Trongpleng-Dangar-Balat which has a distance of 40 km.
