MAWKYRWAT: After a more than 30-year-long wait, the 2.60-km Thiepbamon-Mawpud road is set to see the light of day with Ranikor MLA Pius Marwein, on Friday, laying the foundation stone for the road.
The road, which connects with the Mawkyrwat-Ranikor road, has been long sought by the people of Mawpud and other nearby villages, who were eagerly waiting for the project to begin for more than 3 decades.
An amount of Rs 4.95 crore was earmarked for the 2.60-km road through the state scheme.
Speaking at a function in Mawpud village, Marwein expressed commitment to complete the project and to ensure that there are no setbacks.
“I don’t want to see the journey of this road to end up with only the laying of foundation stone like many other projects in the district and state. My goal is to complete the project and the itention implies to others (projects) as well. I promise to do my best in ensuring that the road will see the light of the day,” the legislator said.
Speaking about the hurdles in availing the sanction for the road, Marwein said when he had first visited Mawpud in 2018, he was in awe over the fact that the village (Mawpud), which produced the second MLA from Langrin (Ranikor) Constituency in the face of (L) Bakstarwell Wanniang, could not even get a road. “I thought this is not easy. Every MLA had tried but failed. Therefore, I could not promise anything to the people of Mawpud area during that time but resolved that if I were to be elected, I will do my best to sanction the road and usher in other developmental activities,” Marwein said.
On pushing for sanction of the road, the officials from PWD, Ranikor Division, would be called to explain as to how the 2.60-kilometre road could cost almost Rs 5 crore, the MLA informed. “They said that the length and the cost of the road do not match. But later they agreed realising that it is a very difficult place to build the road from Thiepbamon to Mawpud,” he added.
On the road from Umpung to Mawpud, Marwein informed that its construction, which had started earlier this year, will resume soon.
He added that the proposed construction of the PHC at Mawpud village, for which the landowner has donated the land, is being followed up by him and that the ball is in the court of the Planning department. The proposed PHC will look after residents of Nongnah, Sarin, Kenbah, Umpung and other adjoining villages.
Meanwhile, the Myntri of Lower Mawpud village, Welldone Wanniang, expressed his joy and gratefulness over the long-sought Thiepbamon-Mawpud road.
“Over the years, our people have faced plenty of problems, particularly related to marketing of products including forest produce and there have been many instances where they had to throw away their cultivation for lack of market in Mawpyllun/Balat Market. With this road, we will now be able to supply our products to other markets in Mawkyrwat and Shillong if there is no activity in the border markets,” Wanniang said.