Govt apathy keeps road projects worth Rs 7,000 crore in limbo

SHILLONG, Sep 13: As many as 13 road projects being implemented by the National Highways & Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) at a total cost of over Rs 7,000 crore is struggling to make progress due to lack of cooperation from the Meghalaya government.
An NHIDCL source said the corporation does not get the required support from the government in terms of land acquisition.
“NHIDCL is struggling with almost every project,” the source while adding that package 4 of the Shillong -Dawki road project is not making progress owing to land acquisition issues.
The same is the case with the Shillong Western Bypass, where the NHIDCL is awaiting handover of the land within the mandatory 150 days after the signing of the agreement.
It is learnt that in package 3 of the Western Bypass, some landowners are still cultivating their land even though compensation has been paid.
The source said there are instances where residents are not allowing the contractors to work citing the sowing season.
The survey of the Umiam-Silchar high-speed corridor project is stuck since residents of Diengpasoh village have refused to part away with their land while in Jaintia Hills there is opposition to the alignment of the road.
The NHIDCL source said though the state falls under the Sixth Schedule, the state government should have had cadastral maps in the absence of which all decisions pertaining to the land are being taken by local authorities and the state government is unable to do anything.