SHILLONG: The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has told the Centre that the Guwahati-Shillong Road can be further expanded to six lanes even though it is not eligible.
The Regional Manager of NHAI, Alok Kumar, told The Shillong Times that as per traffic data, the road is not eligible to be six-lane, but if the government wants and land is made available, the NHAI would have no problem in executing the work.
It is learnt that the Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma, has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Guwahati-Shillong Road to be made an eight-lane one in view of the upcoming National Games, 2022 after which the Centre asked NHAI to submit its report.
Kumar, however, said that it is very difficult to get land here.
He pointed out that the government has not yet been able to provide land for construction of three more booths at the Pahammawlein Toll Plaza despite payment having been released for it.
Besides, there are several other locations along the highway where the agency has asked for additional land for flattening slopes to avoid landslide but land was yet to be provided.
The NHAI also plans to construct a lay bye for trucks as the highway gets choked in the evening once the no-entry bar is lifted in Guwahati.
When asked about the pending work of constructing foot-bridges in different places along the highway, he said that work could not begin due to some financial challenges the concessionaire of the project faces.
