SHILLONG, May 9: The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) is conducting surveys for two massive road projects in Meghalaya.
Informing this on Thursday, Deputy Chief Minister in charge of PWD (Roads), Prestone Tynsong said the road from Umiam flyover till Civil Hospital junction has been handed over to NHIDCL and they are currently conducting an alignment survey for an alternative route from Umiam to Shillong.
“Once they complete the survey, they will come to us for necessary permission,” he said.
In addition, NHIDCL is also conducting a survey to upgrade the existing two-lane road from Umiam flyover till Malidor into a four-lane road under the Bharatmala road project.
Speaking about the deteriorating condition of National Highway 6 and the frequent landslides in and around the Sonapur tunnel, Tynsong said he has taken up the matter with the Secretary of Ministry of Road Transport and Highways and the Chairman of National Highways Authority of India. The NHAI has employed two contractors to repair NH-6 and the work is currently under way.
Govt land in lieu of petrol pump irks groups
Meanwhile, the FKJGP Upper Shillong Circle, the KSU Upper Shillong unit and the Synjuk Nongsynshar Shnong, Upper Shillong, on Thursday raised their voice against the decision of the state government to allot government land in Upper Shillong to the non-tribal owner of Anjalee Petrol Pump, which is being dismantled for road expansion work.
FKJGP Upper Shillong Circle president, Kitboklang Nongphlang said the government should have paid compensation as per the norm if they have to acquire private land for any project.
“What is so special about this case that government land was awarded as compensation,” Nongphlang questioned, while claiming that they have documents to prove that the government allotted 13,500 square feet of land in Upper Shillong despite the total area covered by the Anjalee petrol pump not being more than 2,500 square feet.
Making it clear that they were not against the move of the state government to relocate the Anjalee petrol pump in order to pave the way for widening of the road from Anjalee point to Umshyrpi, Nongphlang said they were disappointed since the government did not invite them for talks even after they had expressed their opposition to the decision of allotment of government land to the petrol pump owner.
