SHILLONG: Land acquisition for the remaining stretch of Shillong-Nongstoin-Tura road in Upper Shillong is almost over.
The two-lane road from Sohiong in East Khasi Hills to Jengjal in West Garo Hills is complete, but work on the second stretch in Upper Shillong has not started owing to the delay in land acquisition.
East Khasi Hills DC PS Dkhar said most of the land has been handed over to the PWD and “it is the department’s prerogative to start the construction work as and when it wants”.
The district administration has to pay around Rs 100 crore in compensation against the land acquired for the project. “We have around Rs 33 crore and last month we had a meeting and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways will soon release the remaining fund,” he added.
The work along the 264.30km Shillong-Nongstoin-Tura road at an estimated cost of Rs 1,494 crore started in February 2011 and the deadline was March 2014.
The road that is scheduled to start from Upper Shillong connects with Jengjal, around 30km away from Tura.
