Shillong, Dec 18: Fulfilling 40 years of aspiration of the people of Lumparing, BJP legislator from South Shillong, Sanbor Shullai on Friday inaugurated a road named after him.

The Sanbor Shullai road connecting Lower Lumparing with the Laban area is the first road to be named after a sitting and serving legislator in the state.

The decision was taken by the dorbar shnong of Lumparing as a mark of respect to Shullai for fulfilling the long pending aspiration of the people.

The 0.410 meters long road was sanctioned by the state government in 2014, at a cost of Rs 3.7 crore. With the completion of the road, the distance from Laban to the Lumparing area has been cut short.

Ritual was also conducted by the Seng Khasi priest before inaugurating the road. It may be mentioned here that the road could be constructed after the Seng Khasi and Muslim committee have agreed to a part portion of their respective graveyards.

According to the dorbar shnong functionaries, MLAs and Rangbah Shnongs have come and gone but the aspiration of the residents of Lower and Upper Lumparing remained unfulfilled for the past 40 years until Shullai got elected as MLA of the constituency.

Talking to Hub News, the BJP legislator said, “It will ease the traffic congestion and this will reduce the distance as well, this is the long aspiration of the people of greater Lumparing area,” he added saying, “In Lumparing we need more road as there are many proposals coming from three Dorbar Shnong of greater Lumparing.”

Addressing the gathering, the MLA dedicated the road as a Christmas gift to the residents of the Lumparing area.

He also expressed gratefulness to the Seng Khasi, Muslim committee, and landowners for their willingness to part their lands free of cost to pave way for the construction of the road for the larger interest of the people and the community.

“Unlike what people are saying, let this be the longest-serving road for the present and the future generation,” Shullai said while also thanking the former chief minister, Mukul Sangma for sanctioning the scheme.

He also recalled that Rs 4 lakh was spent only on rituals to shift the remains of those buried in the respective graveyards from the place.

On the other hand, Shullai while welcoming the decision of the dorbar shnong said, “It was never my suggestion that this road be named after me but it was purely the proposal of the dorbar shnong when the foundation stone was laid in 2014.”

The MLA also handed over the documents related to the road and said people can have access to any information about the road through the dorbar shnong.

Stating that it is not easy to get developmental schemes, Shullai however said, “Those who are ministers find it difficult to get schemes but I am just an MLA and yet I manage to bring various developmental schemes to the constituency. Therefore, for me, I am happy to be an MLA rather than a minister.”

Earlier, a PWD official informed that based on the recommendation of the MLA, four new schemes have also been sanctioned by the department.

These include the construction of the road from ST office to Rilbong at Rs 4 crore and the road from the Buddhist temple at Rs 1 crore.