Shillong-Nongstoin-Tura road to pass through Sohiong Bypass
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: PWD Minister HDR Lyngdoh has finally softened his stand on construction of the proposed two-lane Shillong-Nongstoin-Tura road through the Sohiong Bypass from Lad Mawreng to Mawmaram in East Khasi Hills.
“I do not have any more problems with the proposed Sohiong Bypass since a decision was taken to construct a connecting road from the existing road to the Bypass,” Lyngdoh said here on Friday.
“The fear of the people of Sohiong village that it would affect their economic activities will be addressed with the decision to construct this 1.3-km connecting road,” the PWD Minister said.
When asked if there was any pressure on him to withdraw his stand against the Sohiong Bypass, he said there is no question of pressure since he had opposed the proposed Bypass due to some valid reasons which had concerned him as the local legislator.
Lyngdoh, who represents Sohiong constituency, was earlier against the idea of constructing the road through the Sohiong Bypass since it would have a huge impact on the economy of the people of his constituency. Lyngdoh had been insisting that the road should pass through Sohiong village since there are many food stalls including wine stores along the roadside at Sohiong which provides employment and generates income for many people of the village.
The PWD Minister had also claimed that the people of Sohiong are opposing the original alignment of the Shillong-Nongstoin-Tura road since many houses would have to be demolished.
Strangely, not a single representation was received by the State Government from the residents of Sohiong constituency opposing the proposed Sohiong Bypass.
The PWD Minister’s stand against the proposed Sohiong Bypass had forced Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma to put his foot down and finalise construction of the Shillong-Tura via Nongstoin road through the proposed Sohiong Bypass as he did not want this project to suffer the same fate of the Umsning Bypass which had affected the progress of the four-laning work of the Shillong-Guwahati highway.
