By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 25: The state government has floated a tender for the construction of the Weiloi–Balat–Ranikor road, moving to fulfill a demand from residents of Meghalaya’s southern border that has been pending for over 40 years.
The Public Works Department (PWD) issued the notification for the 47-kilometre project, which will be built as a permanent intermediate road. The route is one of the oldest in the state, dating back to when Meghalaya was part of Assam. For decades, the road only received patchwork repairs, causing significant hardship for local commuters. Kyllang Thongni, president of the Hynniewtrep National Youth Front (HNYF) Southern Border Area, welcomed the step as historic. He noted that despite decades of leadership changes, the road remained in poor condition.
“This road has been a demand of the people for over 40 years. We never compromised on our stand and continued to demand what is rightfully due to the people,” Thongni said.
The HNYF has appealed to landowners, village heads, and traditional institutions to cooperate with the government regarding land acquisition to ensure the project is completed on time.
Completion of the road is expected to boost development across the southern border belt. Improved connectivity will provide farmers better market access and is anticipated to increase tourism in areas such as Balat, Phlangwanroi, Mawsynram, and Ranikor.
