SHILLONG, APR 28: Deputy Chief Minister in-charge PWD (Roads) Prestone Tynsong on Tuesday said the proposed High-Speed Corridor project will significantly boost economic activity in Meghalaya by increasing traffic flow through the state, which he termed the “main transit state” in the region.
Speaking to media persons on the status of the project, Tynsong said, “For Package I and II, tenders have already invited and Ri Bhoi district, the land is more or less finalized, the alignment has been finalized even for Khasi Hills and West Jaintia Hills but we do have some portion in East Jaintia Hills which the discussion is on.”
He said the expressway would drastically reduce travel time.
“When we mentioned about the express way you will understand that instead of travelling 3 hours, the distance is completely shortened so that itself you understand how many hours we save,” he said.
Calling it an economic corridor, Tynsong added, “This is also the economic corridor, which I also personally feel that if we completed the project, the flow because Meghalaya is the main transit state, so ultimately the traffic flow will increase and the economic activities will also increase vehemently.”
On why the corridor is not being built as a six-lane expressway, he cited the state’s topography.
“You need to understand one thing as far as Meghalaya is concerned specially minus Assam in the NE region, it is a hilly area, it is not possible – now let me give you an example of Shillong-Dawki, even two lane road is so difficult. You must have seen there are portions, if you talk about four-lane it is so tight and it is so difficult. Therefore, the main reason why the government of India does not want to go for six-laning it is because of this constraint that we have in the state of Meghalaya,” he said.
Tynsong said the four-laning of the Umiam-Shillong stretch has been entrusted to the National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd (NHIDCL).
“We have already entrusted to NHIDCL. We have taken a decision from the state government that we are going for four-laning from Umiam junction or Lad Umroi upto Shillong,” he said.
