SHILLONG, June 12: Work on the long-pending Shillong-Dawki road has finally started but in four out of the five packages.
The physical progress of package I of the project has been 2.66%. This package covering 11.60 km, scheduled to be completed by February 2023, is being executed by SS Infrazone Pvt Ltd at an awarded cost of Rs 91.26 crore.
This portion would include a four-lane road from Shillong till Upper Shillong.
The physical progress of package II has been 8.76%. The 26.55 km stretch of this package is being executed by ARSS Infrastructure Projects Ltd at an awarded cost of Rs 210 crore.
The progress of packages IV and V with a December 2023 deadline has been 3.76% and 4.04% respectively.
Officials said the PWD has worked out an afforestation plan since the road will pass through a wooded area.
The 71 km-long NH-40 will be converted into a four-lane highway from Umshyrpi bridge in Shillong to Bañiun at 7th Mile in Upper Shillong, and two lanes thereafter till Dawki at an estimated cost of Rs 1,251 crore.
The project includes the construction of a new bridge over the Umngot River at Dawki.
A new bridge at Dawki became necessary as the existing single lane 136-metre suspension bridge is old and unable to support loaded heavy vehicles.
This new bridge will be 368 metres long and 12.5 metres wide.
The old bridge was built by the British in 1932 as an overland link between the provinces of the erstwhile East Bengal and Assam.
