By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, July 12: Nongpoh legislator Mayralborn Syiem on Friday met Union Minister for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Jyotiraditya M Scindia, to request expedited approval for the construction of a 20-km stretch of the Nongpoh-Umder-Sonapur road.
The first phase of the road construction, covering 20 km, will be funded by the DoNER Ministry at a total project cost of Rs 52.98 crore. The remaining stretch will be constructed under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY).
After the meeting, Syiem told reporters, “I met with the Union DoNER Minister today and handed over a letter requesting a speedy sanction for the much-awaited project to upgrade the Nongpoh-Umden-Sonapur road.” He described the meeting as fruitful, stating that the Union Minister assured him the proposal would be prioritised.
Syiem acknowledged the delays and protests surrounding the project,
explaining, “There is a system in government where project proposals sent by the planning, promotion, investment, and sustainable development department of the Government of India to the North Eastern Council (NEC) are reviewed in meetings to select project lists. That’s why I personally met the Union Minister to insist on prioritizing this project.”
He emphasised that the project, which has been under consideration since 2021-22, has faced delays due to its significant budget. The 20 km intermediate lane from Nongpoh to Umden is expected to benefit around 150 villages once completed.
When asked about recent attempts to politicise the issue, Syiem responded, “I have nothing to say. It is my duty as an elected representative to do as much as possible, and I am doing it.” The project gained attention recently when a woman from Ri-Bhoi went on a hunger strike to protest the delay in road construction despite repeated assurances from the state government.