By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, July 4: The state government is looking to impose a permanent weight restriction of 9 MT for vehicles plying on the Umiam dam which is undergoing repair work.
The permanent weight restriction will come into effect once the retrofitting work is completed and the road over the dam is fully opened for vehicular traffic. The weight restriction has been planned considering the safety of the dam and the rest of the structure.
The retrofitting work is likely to be completed by July-end or the first week of August.
It may be mentioned that the retrofitting work has been going on since December last year.
With the retrofitting work creating inconvenience for daily commuters, the government has now realized the need for an alternative route to connect Shillong with Guwahati.
A government source said an alternative route has been identified and necessary details are being worked out.
The government’s previous plan of building another dam or an alternative road in the vicinity of Umiam Lake was objected to by the Geological Survey of India.