Shillong, June 28: Meghalaya might lose out on important centrally-funded infra projects if there are roadblocks in land acquisition, Chief Minister Conrad Sangma cautioned here on Friday.
Addressing the media after his New Delhi visit, Sangma said, the Ministry of Road and Surface Transport has taken a “strong stand” over delay in land acquisition in the state.
Pleading cooperation from the citizens, the CM said, unless people begin to work for the “larger interest of the state,” several infra projects relating to roads and highways would hit roadblock.
“The Ministry of Road and Surface Transport took a strong stand on land acquisition and mentioned if there are delays, it may bypass the land, or may even cancel that section of work,” Sangma said.
Several important highway projects have hit roadblocks mainly due to land acquisition issues. Two such projects are the Shillong-Dawki road and the Western bypass.
The Shillong-Dawki road is a strategically important road touching the Bangladesh border while the Western bypass would connect Umsaw, Ri-Bhoi to Lad Mawreng, East Khasi Hills. Both these projects are stalled due to issues relating to land acquisition.
Citing the example of Western bypass, Sangma said, over 90 percent of the land has been acquired, but there are stretches, some as little as 100-200 meters and others a kilometre or so, where problems have crept up.
He urged citizens to “cooperate and coordinate” when it comes to important highway and infrastructure projects in the state. “When it comes to important highways and infrastructure projects we need cooperation from all citizens,” Sangma urged.
He said the State may lose out on other important road projects too if such hurdles of land acquisition continue. In the pipeline is the “big Rs. 20,000 Barapani-Umroi-Jowai-Ratacherra project.”
“We should not create problems but try to resolve them,” Sangma said.
Read: Meghalaya Govt to continue pressing centre for ILP, Khasi-Garo languages in Eighth Schedule
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