Shillong, May 8: A road to bypass Umiam Dam is 95 per cent complete and, once ready, will allow heavy vehicles, including inter-state buses and their passengers to reach the city directly, Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar, who holds the Transport portfolio, informed today.
After renovation work in the last few years, the Umiam Dam bridge can no longer safely accommodate heavy vehicles. Inter-state buses either have to take alternative (and longer) routes to Shillong or passengers have to disembark near the bridge and switch vehicles.
The Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) in Mawlai has also been mothballed all this time as bus traffic has reduced. Now, however, Dhar says that buses will soon ply again directly to the city and the ISBT will be reoperationalised to accommodate them.
Meanwhile, he also said that he has asked the district authorities of West Garo Hills to conduct a joint inspection with the Airports Authority of India to finalise the acquisition of land for expanding Baljek Airport.
Dhar said that the joint inspection is necessary so that the right land is acquired.
On the Umroi Airport, he said the work for expansion has been allotted at an estimated cost of Rs 80 crore. The Deputy CM also informed that to make accessibility to the airport easier, a direct road is under construction from Belfont-Langkyrding-New Secretariat-Umroi at a cost of Rs 135 crore.
