KSU, FKJGP to repair damaged stretch of Shillong-Dawki road
SHILLONG, July 19: The KSU South Central East Circle, FKJGP Ri-War Mihngi Circle and the Federation of Ri-War Mihngi Local Dorbars have urged the state government and NHIDCL to immediately restore the collapsed Shillong-Dawki National Highway near Laitlyngkot, even as they called on Pynursla MLA and Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong to cut short his trip to the United States and return to coordinate the work.
Addressing a press conference in Pynursla, FKJGP Ri-War Mihngi Circle president Evanfield Khonglam and KSU South Central East Circle vice-president Basuklang Khongwar said they did not wish to interfere in Tynsong’s personal life but stressed that the prolonged disruption, now nearly a month after the June 21 collapse, had caused severe hardship to residents of the Ri-War Mihngi region.
“We do not want to comment on anyone’s personal life. But if our MLA has gone to watch the World Cup in the United States or has gone anywhere else, he should immediately return and ensure that the road is repaired at the earliest,” they said.
The two organisations announced they would begin voluntary restoration of nearly five metres of the damaged stretch on July 23 to facilitate vehicular movement and appealed to local residents, taxi associations, truck owners and other groups to join the effort. They clarified that they held the state government, Tynsong, NHIDCL and the contractor jointly responsible for the delay, and alleged that the contractor had paid little attention to commuter safety. At least nine people have died in accidents along the stretch since the expansion project began, they claimed, adding that the site lacked adequate technical supervision.
The Federation of Ri-War Mihngi Local Dorbars, meeting on Saturday, separately blamed indiscriminate blasting and poor construction practices for the collapse. Hima Khyrim minister Wonderful Nongrum said continuous blasting during rock excavation had weakened the hillside, allowing rainwater to seep in and trigger the failure. “The road did not collapse because of nature alone,” he said, also pointing to inadequate drainage measures by the executing agency.
Federation president Joy James Roy Khongmawloh welcomed the concern shown by the KSU and FKJGP but said the Federation had not yet taken a position on the July 23 voluntary work, as it first needed to verify whether the identified stretch was government or private land. Raid Mawkhap Sirdar of Hima Khyrim, Jelius Majaw, also expressed concern over the authorities’ inaction, saying the disruption had severely affected daily movement and transportation of goods.
Both sets of organisations noted that the temporary diversion through private land owned by Bah Khrikshon Lyngkhoi remains inadequate for heavy vehicles. Residents said healthcare, education, trade and tourism have all suffered, with transport costs rising and visitor cancellations increasing. They warned that democratic protests would intensify if a definite timeline for restoration is not announced soon.
