SHILLONG, May 9: The state government has asked Chief Secretary, RV Suchiang and the Ri-Bhoi district administration to prepare modalities to regulate overloaded trucks plying through the Umiam bridge.
“The modalities will put restriction on the carrying capacity of loaded trucks plying through the bridge,” Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong told reporters on Monday.
He said he had also directed the PWD to engage a consultant to identify the location for the new bridge since the Umiam bridge has crossed its lifespan. According to him, the consultant is on the job.
Tynsong said one available space is occupied by the Army for boating services, adding that they will try to connect directly through Nehru Park.
“I will not be able to give details until the consultant firm has completed its task and prepared a detailed report,” he said.
Earlier, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma had stated that steps would be taken by the state government to ensure the safety of the Umiam bridge which needs to be repaired.
He had made the statement reacting to the order of the High Court of Meghalaya. It had directed the government to start working on replacing the bridge without waiting for the existing one to collapse.
“The citizens and the state government are concerned over the condition of the Umiam dam. We will examine all aspects,” Sangma had said.
The court had on May 4 said it was heartening that the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) and the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) have agreed that the Umiam bridge needs to be replaced by a more robust structure to withstand regular traffic.
“Indeed, the BRO indicates in its affidavit that vehicles bearing a total weight in excess of 10 MT should not be allowed on the bridge. There is no doubt implicit in such a suggestion that the existing bridge may not be able to bear the present traffic load. This is a situation which cries out for a stitch in time so that Shillong is not cut off for the want of a bridge over a reservoir,” the court had said in the order.
“The state must also immediately regulate the flow of traffic along the bridge to ensure that not only the vehicles weighing more than 10 MT are not allowed on the bridge, but also to see that two heavy vehicles do not use the bridge at the same time to cause any further damage thereto. Measures should be taken so that the traffic is regulated at either end and the flow is not disrupted, yet not too many vehicles use the bridge at the same time, particularly keeping in mind the total weight spread over the bridge,” the order said.
The court said the state government may approach the Centre for the release of appropriate funds since the matter pertains to the shortest access to the state capital.
“Let the matter appear four weeks hence after the representatives of the state, NHAI and BRO have met and effective steps have been taken at the behest of the State in such regard,” the court further said.
