SHILLONG, March 16: The Meghalaya government and the Defence authorities have jointly decided to cancel the proposed idea of constructing an elevated road from Umshyrpi and instead construct a four-lane road till Barik to ease the traffic congestion on this arterial stretch.
Years of rapid growth, rising vehicle numbers, and tourism have made the old two-lane road woefully inadequate. To tackle this, authorities had initially proposed an elevated road or flyover snaking overhead from Rilbong toward Barik, promising to lift vehicles above the surface chaos and ease flow.
But reality intruded. As parts of the proposed alignment would cross sensitive military zones, Defence authorities raised valid security concerns.
Deputy Chief Minister in charge of PWD (Roads) Prestone Tynsong on Monday disclosed that the idea of an elevated road was deemed as unfeasible following which a new proposal has been floated to widen the existing road from Umshyrpi till Barik into a four-lane stretch.
It is learnt that a joint meeting was held between the state government and the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 101 Area to discuss the new proposal.
The PWD, NHIDCL and Defence authorities would conduct a joint inspection to find out how much land would be required for the proposed four-lane road.
This pivot reflects a broader push to decongest Shillong without defying its challenging geography or security realities.
While not as ambitious as a flyover, the four-lane upgrade could meaningfully boost capacity, smooth traffic, and reduce the endless snarls.
