SHILLONG, July 26: Under pressure from local organisations threatening to take up shovels themselves, the East Khasi Hills administration has finally pinned a timeline on the NHIDCL for the restoration of the fractured Shillong-Dawki highway following an emergency inspection by IIT-Guwahati experts.
The vital international trade and tourism artery has been crippled by a major cave-in, sparking fury among residents and traders in the Riwar region. The East Khasi Hills district administration has now directed the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) to submit a clear, stage-wise schedule for repairs, moving away from vague promises of “exploring arrangements.”
Deputy Commissioner Abhilash Baranwal has instructed the Pynursla SDO (Civil) to monitor progress on a bi-weekly basis. The NHIDCL must now provide specific dates for the submission of the IIT expert report, the commencement of physical work, and the final completion of the project.
While the NHIDCL previously claimed the scale of the damage made restoration a “challenging and time-consuming exercise” that could not be finished within two months, the administration is no longer allowing the corporation to hide behind the terrain.
The urgency follows a near-showdown earlier this week when the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) and the Federation of Khasi, Jaintia and Garo People (FKJGP) announced they would undertake voluntary repairs themselves, alleging total negligence by the authorities. The groups only suspended their plan after finding officials and machinery finally deployed at the site.
“We want to see the trucks moving again. Every day of delay hits the pockets of farmers and traders,” a local representative noted, echoing the frustration of a region seeing its primary economic link severed.
In a bid to provide immediate relief, the administration has eased traffic restrictions for light motor vehicles (LMVs). These vehicles can now use the temporary diversion connecting Laitlyngkot, Iew Mawiong, Umthli, Nongthymmai, and Laitkynsew without time restrictions.
The previous three-day-a-week regulation on the main highway has also been lifted for the time being.
NHIDCL has been further tasked with constructing a temporary subway to facilitate light vehicle movement while the permanent, long-term restoration of the highway continues. Local pressure groups maintain they are monitoring the site closely and have urged the government to ensure the “temporary” fix does not become an excuse for further delays.
