Shillong, Dec 16: The Meghalaya High Court on Wednesday asked the state government to obtain funds for commencing the work of metalling the Borkhat-Sonapur road along the Indo-Bangla border in East Jaintia Hills district.
In its order, the Division Bench said, “Immediate steps should be taken to obtain funds and commence the work of metalling the said stretch of nearly 40 km, particularly since the internal communication between places on the route have been seriously impeded because of several stretches being virtually non-motorable.”
The PIL was filed by an advocate Kynjaimon Amse. The petitioner had produced photographs that show the pitiable condition of the unmetalled stretch of road between Borghat and Sonapur.
The bench said that from the photographs placed by the petitioner, it appears that only tractors or four-wheel drive vehicles adept at tackling hazardous terrain may be able traverse these stretches covered by the photographs.
A letter issued by the Chief Engineer, PWD (Roads) revealed that the in-principle clearance for the 39.6 km stretch to be metalled has been granted by the North Eastern Council under the North East Road Sector Development Scheme.
The letter also speaks of an Empowered Inter Ministerial Committee having met on July 7, 2021 when it was agreed that the State government would fund the balance amount of the project beyond the available outlay of Rs. 62.02 crores.
The State has also relied on some photographs to indicate the preliminary strengthening of the road by filling up the potholes and the uneven parts with stone-chips.
“It is hoped that the matter will receive the attention of all concerned so that the concrete of a metalled road along the stretch of nearly 40 km is concluded as expeditiously as possible,” the bench said.
