SHILLONG, Jan 7: The city will continue being a transit route for heavy vehicles for some time now as the temporary Bailey bridge constructed on the Shillong Bypass will take another month’s time for completion.
The Dwar-Ksuid Bridge has been lying in a dilapidated state for the past couple of months now as a result of which heavy vehicles, including loaded trucks and buses, have been plying through the heart of the city during the night.
In the absence of traffic personnel, many heavy vehicle drivers are reported to indulge in rash driving during the night hours.
National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) officials informed that some technical issues have cropped up as they were constructing the Bailey bridge and that they were now planning to make the bridge operational only by February 15.
Asked about the status of the Dwar-Ksuid Bridge, an official said that the report of the third party has been sent to the NHAI headquarters to review the matter, but in all probability, a new bridge would have to be constructed.
NHAI has asked the Meghalaya government to conduct an investigation into the damage caused to the bridge within a span of just five to six years.
The state government, along with the district administration of East Khasi Hills and Ri Bhoi, had disallowed heavy vehicles carrying over 20 tonnes to ply through the Shillong Bypass after detection of a crack on the Dwar-Ksuid Bridge.
On December 15, the state transport minister along with other officials of the transport department, visited the site and subsequently handed over the bridge construction work to the Border Roads Organisation. During the inspection, the minister said that the temporary steel bridge would be completed by January 15, 2021.