From Our Correspondent
NONGPOH, Nov 7: Community leaders and residents from Shakoikuna in Ri-Bhoi, under the Joint Action Committee (JAC) of Umdap Area, met the Executive Engineer, M Pyrbot, of the PWD (Roads) Nongpoh Division on Thursday. They raised concerns about the severe deterioration of the Pahammawlein 20 Mer to Shakoikuna road, a condition that has caused significant hardship for the local community.
The road project, spanning 5.12 kilometre and funded under the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), was awarded to contractor Sunshine Sawkmie.
However, progress stalled nearly 10 months ago, shortly after initial work began in December 2023, leaving the road incomplete and worsening its condition. This has made travel challenging, especially for residents with health issues.
JAC chairman Lawrence Nongrum, speaking to the media after the meeting, shared that the community has issued an ultimatum, giving the contractor one week to resume work and complete the project by March 2025. The Executive Engineer pledged to press the contractor to restart work promptly in response to the community’s demands.
Nongrum further warned that if the contractor fails to meet these demands, both the JAC and the public will take stronger actions. A formal complaint has already been filed with the PWD Nongpoh Division, with the JAC prepared to pursue additional measures if the contractor continues to neglect the project.
Community member T Nongshli highlighted that the protest was not targeted at specific individuals but was a response to the hardships faced by residents due to the deteriorated road.
She criticised the contractor for abandoning the project after scraping the old road, which has increased transportation costs due to its poor condition. Nongshli called for the project to be reassigned if the current contractor is unable to complete it, to prevent further inconvenience to the community.