Shillong, Dec 5: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Monday reviewed all important projects implemented by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) in the state.

These include the Shillong-Dawki road, Shillong-Western bypass, Wahkaji-Kyrshai road, Ranikor-Maheshkhola-Rongara road and Nongstoin roads.

Addressing media persons, Sangma said, “We have gone through all the projects (during the 3-hour long review meeting) and we have asked to give a deadline on the different works. We have asked them about the problems they are facing and based on that we have asked the officials to resolve those issues.”

“Now, we will be continuously monitoring (the projects) because this is the ‘working season’, so, we would not want to lose this time. It was a very productive and very good meeting we had, and I am hopeful it will have a positive impact on all the projects that are being implemented in the state right now,” he said.

The CM said different problems are being faced by the different projects. Some are related to land acquisition, forest clearance, utility shifting, right of way (ROW) and others.

“In some places, earlier it was a government land and later some people are now coming and claiming that it is theirs – so there are different problems and different complications in different projects but, as I said, we took up each one and we are hopeful that we are able to resolve all the issues,” he said.

Shillong-Western bypass

Sangma informed that the Shillong-Western bypass was very much part of the discussion during the meeting.

“The contractors were also available and they were present and deputy commissioners were there and they were having some issue with the land acquisition rates and those issues have been discussed in detail today and we have asked the deputy commissioners to resolve the issue within this week,” he said.

Flyover road 

Asked, the CM said that the flyover is part of the package-I of the Shillong-Dawki road project funded by JICA.

“We are proposing some changes in that so that we can make it to an elevated road as earlier it was simply not a proper flyover. So, we are taking up the matter with Government of India and figuring how we can add the pillars and extend this whole thing so that it reaches the petrol pump junction. Also, we are looking at the possibility of extending that further but it is not in this phase as that will create a lot of confusion and complication at this point in time,” he said.

He added, “So, yes, that project is very much part of it and, as I said earlier, the proposal was not to have that elevated road but now we are proposing to include that and NHIDCL officials, who are handling the project here, are also in favour of that and obviously state government is in favour and we are going to take up matter with Delhi to allow that particular extension and elevated road to come up within this package itself. As I said, there is an enhanced component now which we are requesting the Government of India to enhance.”

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