SHILLONG, March 11: On a day when Deputy Chief Minister in-charge of PWD (Roads), Prestone Tynsong assured the House that construction of a Bailey bridge on the Shillong Bypass would be completed by March 31, the High Court of Meghalaya expressed displeasure over the tardy progress of work and has directed the Meghalaya Bar Association to depute two office bearers to inspect the construction work and file a report on the next date of hearing on March 16.
“Having heard the learned advocates for the parties, we are not satisfied with the pace of work in so far as erection and completion of the Bailey bridge is concerned,” the Court observed.
“We had been earlier assured that the Bailey bridge will be opened for regular traffic on or before 10th March, 2021. Today, however, upon hearing the learned advocate representing the National Highway Authorities of India (NHAI), it appears that full flow of traffic on the Bailey bridge will take several more weeks,” the Court said in the order.
Earlier, Tynsong informed the Assembly that the concrete work has finished and the laying of the bridge is on. He added that he is hopeful to make the new bridge operational in another 15 days.
The matter was raised in the House by Umroi MLA, George B Lyngdoh.
The Congress MLA raised concerns on the engagement of only a handful of labourers and requested the state government to expedite the construction to which the Deputy CM replied that the Chief Secretary, the Additional Chief Secretary and the PWD Chief Engineer have been monitoring the progress.
In a related development on Thursday, the Ri Bhoi Deputy Commissioner issued a notification stating that movement of mini trucks, buses and trucks will be stopped between 6 am to 6 pm daily till March 23 since the ancillary work at Dwar-Ksuid bridge on the Shillong Bypass has been completed by NHAI and the BRO has been entrusted with the launching activities of the Bailey bridge to be completed on March 23.
In addition, pedestrians are not allowed within 50 feet of either end of the bridge and light motor vehicles are also not allowed to halt within 500 meters from the bridge on either side.
