NEW DELHI: Tura MP Vincent H Pala on Thursday expressed apprehension that Japan might abandon the vital Shillong-Dawki national highway project it is funding if the work is held up due to the Centre not transferring a few acres of defence land for the purpose.
Raising the matter in Lok Sabha, under Rule 377, Pala said land acquisition for the work is in the doldrums because of the defence land even if it is just one per cent of the total land required for the upgradation of the national highway.
He urged the Centre to hand over the defence land for the vital road interlinking India and Bangladesh failing which the aid agency, Japan International Cooperation Agency, might abandon the project altogether.
Connected by the NH 44 (extension) and NH 40 (erstwhile Shillong-Sylhet road), Dawki is used as a transit point for export of major items like coal, limestone, raw hide, boulder stone, food items, plastic furniture, geo-textile sheets, tissue paper, laundry soap, PVC door and fire clay bricks to Bangladesh.
Besides trade, most of the passengers crossing through the Dawki border are citizens from India and Bangladesh and the main purpose for their visit is business, education, medical, religious and tourism.
Dawki is connected by an all-weather road to Shillong and is one of the most important land border crossings of the Northeastern region connecting Tamabil across the border.
Dawki is at a vantage point for the tourists of Bangladesh who regularly visit Shillong and its neighbouring places of tourist interest for which the Centre is going ahead with an integrated check post there.
