SHILLONG, May 29: Several problems have cropped up in the execution of the Shillong-Dawki road project which has already missed its December 2022 deadline.
The High Court of Meghalaya, which is hearing a petition, said although the initial grievance of the petitioner pertained to the felling of trees for the construction of a flyover between Rilbong and Jhalupara as a part of the road project, the scope of the matter has widened to look into the progress of the project as it is essential not only for connectivity but also for development in the state.
“A lot of the other road construction projects are linked to the Shillong-Dawki project, like the identification of necessary bypasses, need to widen ancillary roads and to provide a link to the highway that turns left from Umiam and carries on through Jowai (now bypassed) and Khliehriat into the Barak valley and Silchar,” a division bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice W Diengdoh said in an order.
The court said the latest report on the status of the project revealed that work in respect of packages II and IV, containing altogether five packages, is going on in right earnest but the contractors awarded packages I and V have abandoned the work. It said the re-tender process initially resulted in a solitary bid for package I and after one further bid, the contractor has been identified.
“This aspect of the matter is not referred to in the status report but is submitted on behalf of the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL). It is further submitted on behalf of NHIDCL that there is no progress in the works pertaining to packages No. III and V. The several impediments in the work being taken up in respect of such two packages have been detailed in the status report. They are, mainly, due to the local landowners not being willing to part with land or disputes having arisen regarding the area of land necessary and the compensation therefor,” the court said.
The court also said that a serious problem has arisen with the Indian Institute of Geomagnetism, which has been allotted a large tract of land to the left of the road as one approaches Upper Shillong from the Rilbong area.
The institute complained that the widening of the road would affect the fragile magnetic records maintained in the institute. However, the court said, the problem is that there is no road on the other side and unless the institute agrees to part with some land, there can be no widening of the road on the relevant stretch.
The court hoped that the NHIDCL and the National Highways Authorities of India will approach the appropriate Union Ministry and persuade the institute to part with sufficient land for the widening of the road.
The court said the state government should assist the NHIDCL in resolving the issues pertaining to acquisition of land and payment of compensation in several other areas.
The NHIDCL, however, submitted that since the contractor of package No. I has been identified and the construction of the Rilbong to Jhalupara flyover falls within this package, the work may be undertaken expeditiously upon felling the remaining trees which have been identified.
“About 63 trees have already been felled. Once the project gets away in right earnest in respect of package I, the remainder of the trees required to be felled may be felled upon planting adequate number of plants and ensuring their maintenance at least for a period of a year,” the court ordered.
