SHILLONG, April 30: The foundation stone was laid for construction of a 75-metre-long bridge over Umngot river by Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, which will connect various villages in East Khasi Hills with West Jaintia Hills.
The project has been sanctioned at an estimated cost of Rs 8.97 crore and will be funded through MITP. It is expected to connect Jongksha, Kharang, Dienglieng, and Nongjrong villages under Mawkynrew Constituency in East Khasi Hills with Wahiajer village in West Jaintia Hills.
Agriculture Minister and local MLA, Banteidor Lyngdoh, along with PWD secretary, TG Nengnong, and other senior officials of the department were also present on the occasion.
Speaking on the occasion, Tynsong, who is also in charge of PWD (Roads), expressed hope that the construction of the bridge is completed within 24 months, even as he said that the project would benefit people of both Mawkynrew and Jowai constituencies.
Maintaining that the NPP-led MDA Government is according top priority to road construction, Tynsong informed that the World Bank has sanctioned Rs 800 crore for various projects and that it is ready to increase the sanction to Rs 1,000 crore if the projects are completed as per the deadline.
“We also received a sanction of Rs 1,900 crore for the PMGSY which is the highest in the history of the state,” the deputy chief minister informed.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister Banteidor Lyngdoh said that the local populace there has always raised the issue on construction of a bridge over Umngot river to connect East Khasi Hills with West Jaintia Hills.
He also informed that in the past three years, almost Rs 80 crore has been sanctioned for construction of new roads and improvement of existing roads in the various villages under the constituency.
