SHILLONG, June 10: The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) has re-tendered the work of the JICA-funded Shillong-Dawki road project and the work is expected to restart soon.
Newly-appointed Leader of Opposition, Ronnie V Lyngdoh disclosed this on Saturday while he was talking about massive traffic jam encountered by the residents of Mylliem every day.
The Congress MLA said he had recently met some officials of the NHIDCL to inquire about the status of the road project and they apprised him that they called for the re-tendering of the project. They also told him the work should restart within a month or two.
Recalling that he had raised the issue in the last Assembly session, Lyngdoh said he was quite satisfied with the reply of Deputy Chief Minister in-charge of Home (Police), Prestone Tynsong.
The Congress leader said the NHIDCL officials also informed him that tenders were invited and funds were made available from JICA but due to various reasons, the company had abandoned the work.
Tender was called for again but as there was just one bidder, it had to be re-tendered yet again.
Lyngdoh said the road connects Shillong to West Khasi Hills and Garo Hills and once the project is completed, people will be able to travel to some parts of the state without using the roads in Assam. According to the NHIDCL website, the contract has been foreclosed and bids are re-invited.
The state government had last month reviewed the Shillong-Dawki road project and directed the technical experts to identify the deplorable stretches in view of the monsoon season and also to keep a dedicated team for emergency work on a standby 24×7.
Tynsong had then said, “I reviewed the JICA’s Shillong to Dawki project and we also discussed that there is a PIL filed against the progress of the road in packages 1, 4 and 5 and retendering process of the NHIDCL.”
