By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 28: The state government has instructed the PWD (Roads) Department to immediately start repairing and maintaining the roads with the arrival of the dry season.
The commissioner-secretary, secretary, and chief engineers concerned have been asked to ensure the roads are in good condition during the dry season, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said on Saturday.
The Jaintia Hills district unit of the Khasi Students’ Association had recently staged a protest against the failure of the state government and the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) to repair the dilapidated NH-6. It had asked all drivers not to ply their vehicles for a week.
Some protesters slept in the middle of the national highway at Khliehriat while others turned the potholes into fish ponds and paddy fields during the protest.
The 100 km stretch of the Dalu-Garobadha road is also in bad shape and filled with potholes. This has been attributed to more than 150 overloaded trucks using the road every night for three to four years to export boulders to Bangladesh.
The Rambrai circle of the Federation of Khasi Jaintia and Garo People had recently expressed concern about the deplorable state of the roads from Lad Mawrang to Rambrai market up to Rambrai Nongbah, for which funds were allotted by the state government.
The FKJGP had earlier filed an RTI and learned that the government had already sanctioned Rs 2,24,95,200 for metalling and black-topping the 2.5 km road.
The work has not commenced even after it was allotted to 10 local contractors in April 2023, the FKJGP said.