HAPPY VALLEY-MAWSHBUIT ROAD ROW
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Feb 3: The Defence Estates Office (DEO), Guwahati, has failed to provide any documentary proof or clear information confirming whether a 600-metre stretch of the Happy Valley-Mawshbuit road, located under the 58th GTC gate area, belongs to the Indian Army.
This casts doubt on claims previously made by the Meghalaya government in the 60-member Assembly.
The controversy emerged after social activist Shaiphar Rani filed a request under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, following repeated statements in the Assembly asserting that the disputed road stretch was under Army ownership. According to Rani, the lack of clarity from defence authorities raises serious concerns about transparency and accountability.
In a reply on September 15, 2025, the Chief Public Information Officer (Technical Section), Defence Estates Office, Guwahati Circle stated that the information sought through Rani’s RTI application, filed on August 5, 2025, was “not readily available” because the queries were framed as questions requiring explanations.
Rani said the Assembly statements by the concerned minister prompted him to file the RTI application with the Defence Estates Office, Guwahati, seeking all documents related to road ownership. The application was addressed to both the Chief Public Information Officer and the First Appellate Authority.
The 600-metre road stretch connects Mawshbuit to Happy Valley and has remained in poor and unrepaired condition. Responding to an Assembly query on September 10, 2025, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong had stated that the State Government would request the Defence authorities, under whose jurisdiction the road allegedly falls, to carry out repairs.
“If the Defence authorities are not willing to undertake the repairs, the State Government is prepared to do the work itself,” Tynsong had said, adding that a no-objection certificate (NOC) would be required from Defence authorities.
Despite multiple appeals and reminders, the Defence Estates Office reportedly maintained that the requested information was not readily available, and no documents were provided within the stipulated 15-day period. Rani alleged that this continued non-response amounts to a failure in ensuring transparency, justifying public disclosure of correspondence related to the case.
Rani stated that the original RTI application was first filed with the Union Ministry’s Directorate General of Defence Estates on March 20, 2025 (No. 755/31/DE/RTI/2024). A second appeal, dated September 18, 2025, seeking intervention, was transferred to the Defence Estates Office, Guwahati, under Section 6(3) of the RTI Act for direct response. Despite this, the matter remains unresolved.
Through the RTI process, Rani has raised three key concerns: the documentary evidence establishing ownership of the road, the legal provisions empowering the Defence Department to acquire or control a public road, and the rationale for allowing Defence authorities to regulate a road that serves as a vital link between Happy Valley and Mawshbuit villages.
He also sought information on any alternative route proposals to ensure uninterrupted connectivity if the road’s status is altered, and questioned whether the Deputy Chief Minister’s Assembly statement, if misleading, could constitute a breach of privilege or contempt of the House.
Rani has urged authorities to clarify the matter immediately and called for the disclosure of accurate information regarding the road’s ownership to safeguard public access, connectivity, and transparency in governance.
