SHILLONG, May 14: Finally, defence authorities have granted permission to the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) for carrying out the work of Shillong-Dawki road project in the areas for which land has been acquired.
Permission was not granted earlier for security reasons. Permission granted now is for one stretch at a time.
The defence authorities allowed NHIDCL to undertake work in an area of around 170 metres near Rilbong in the first instance, an NHIDCL official said. The Shillong-Dawki road passes through areas which are occupied by the defence establishment. The total defence area is around 4 kilometres, including the areas of Eastern Air Command.
The project will comprise a four-lane road and an over-bypass which will culminate just before the Anjalee Petrol Pump and Mahavir Park in Jhalupara. The plan is that the vehicles heading towards Guwahati would use the over-bypass while those proceeding towards Upper Shillong would use the road underneath the bypass.
Stating that the NHIDCL has not received any instruction to extend the project till Barik, the official said the state government has not been very supportive in the land acquisition process.
The NHIDCL has not got possession of land covering 25 pockets and stretching 710 metres for Mawshun Bypass under Package-4 from Saitbakan to Wakhadai even after four years since the project was sanctioned.
As regards the Western Bypass, the NHIDCL wants the state government to expedite the land acquisition process so that the date of award can be given to the contractors. There are guidelines which state that the date of award cannot be given unless 90 per cent of the land is handed over to NHIDCL.
In package 1, the state government has handed over around 87 per cent of the land to NHIDCL.
