By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 10: The state government has instructed the West and East Jaintia Hills district authorities to constitute district committees for acquiring land for the high-speed corridor to be constructed in the entire stretch of National Highway 6 from Umiam to Malidor.
The government on Friday held a meeting with the National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL), which will implement the project to convert NH6 into a four-lane road.
Although the project is from Umiam to Panchgram in the Hailakandi district of Assam, the focus is on the 160 km stretch from Umiam to Malidor.
After the meeting, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong said that the government has instructed the deputy commissioners of four districts through which the road will pass to constitute their respective committees by involving departments such as Forest, PWD, and Agriculture.
The committees have already been constituted in the East Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi districts.
Tynsong said the project is estimated to be about 22,000 crore.
Admitting that land acquisition will be a big challenge, he said the committees would be tasked with resolving any issues about land.
The road project will have five packages. The survey and alignment of three of these have been completed.
There are also plans to construct at least three tunnels in Meghalaya under the project, Tynsong said.
The project aims to ensure quick transportation of goods and a hassle-free travel experience for passengers moving to and from Barak Valley, Manipur, Mizoram, and Tripura.
This stretch of NH6 is prone to traffic jams and rain-induced landslides.
