Shillong, Nov 17: Minister in-charge Public Health Engineering (PHE) Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar on Thursday said that the department has not yet surrendered its target to complete the Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme (GSWSS) phase-III by December, this year.
“The work is in progress and we really want to inaugurate the GSWSS-III within this year,” Tongkhar told reporters.
He informed that the contractors have also agreed to complete the work before December.
Tongkhar said hurdles relating to digging of roads for laying of the pipes due to permission being denied by some localities and time taken to resolve issues between the two departments – PHE and PWD – are some of the main challenges faced while implementing the project.
According to him, the department has received lots of complaints from people especially in Mawlai area due to digging of roads.
“I have requested the contractors to find solutions whether it is with the local bodies or departments. I have also told them to let me know if intervention at my level is required but nobody has come to me with that problem so far. I hope they are doing a good job and they will be able to complete the work by the end of this year,” he added.
The state government had earlier sanctioned another Rs 65 crore to complete the Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme phase-III which has been pending for many years now.
