SHILLONG, Nov 10: The United Democratic Party (UDP) on Sunday urged the state government to prioritise public convenience, expedite the construction of an alternative road to the Umiam bridge, and ensure its timely completion. “If the government claims the current situation is temporary and will soon be resolved, we hope they expedite the process because we don’t want the public to suffer,” said UDP general secretary Jemino Mawthoh. “We also don’t want rising transportation costs to burden everyone.”
Mawthoh’s comments came as he addressed concerns about restrictions on the Umiam bridge, which have caused transportation charges to increase by 40 per cent and rendered the Inter-State Bus Terminus dysfunctional.
He stressed that government projects should have clear timelines. “Any scheme, project, or initiative taken up by the government must be completed within a specific period,” he stated. “If we aim to finish projects in two to three years, we need to make every effort to meet that target. Delays only escalate costs and cause further issues.” Mawthoh continued, “We must consider the public good, especially when it comes to roads and infrastructure. Convenience should come first, and if we fail to address these issues, we are failing in our duty.”
He added, “Good governance means delivering the best services to people and fulfilling our promises to improve their quality of life. Starting projects that take years to complete is unacceptable — something is going wrong if that happens.”
Reflecting on the government’s role, he said, “We want people to be happy, and while bringing change isn’t easy, the government must at least make visible efforts. Despite challenges, we owe it to the public to pursue positive change.”
Recently, the Opposition Congress criticised the state government, accusing it of a lack of vision and preparedness for imposing restrictions on heavy vehicles along the Umiam dam-cum-bridge route, which has led to price hikes. The restrictions at Umiam have raised transportation costs by 40% from Guwahati to Shillong. Previously, trucks carrying goods could travel directly from Umiam to Shillong. However, due to the new restrictions, they now have to take a detour of 80-90 km via Mawryngkneng to reach Shillong.
