SHILLONG, March 5: Most of Shillong’s junctions are simply not improving.
Earlier, the state government had identified 12 of them for beautification under the Smart Road project. These come within area-based development and are parts of smart roads.
Some of the major junctions identified include Barik Junction, Civil Junction, IGP Point Junction, DC Junction, Police Bazar roundabout, Governor’s Junction, Dhankheti Junction, Don Bosco Junction etc. The estimated cost of the projects is Rs 134.5 crore.
A similar initiative was taken earlier to beautify the Police Bazar area with tiles but the tiles have worn out as there is no maintenance.
In the last decade or so, only a handful of junctions in areas such as Motphran, Laitumkhrah, Civil Hospital and Nongthymmai were improved.
Meanwhile, the work for the Smart Road project at Lachumiere is going on at a snail’s pace.
A total of 15.9 km of road was identified for development as “smart roads” in two phases by the Shillong Smart City Limited. The state government had floated a tender for the construction of “Smart Roads Ph-II” (10 km) and beautification of 12 junctions.
According to the bidding document, the smart roads would be constructed in 18 locations, including Jail Road, Bivar Road, Keating Road, Laitumkhrah Market to Fire Brigade via Beat House, Secretariat Hill Road, street connecting Keating Road and GS Road and Rhino Point to Last Stop Market. The civil works include retrofitting of the identified existing roads to develop them into smart roads, such as road pavement (carriageway), bus bays, junction improvement works, protected footpaths/pedestrian walkways, pedestrian plazas, street furniture, road markings, road signage, utility ducts for various utilities such as water supply, power distribution system, communication (telephone, optical fibre cables), landscaping works, storm water drainage including culverts, etc.
