Around 75 per cent of work on Phase 3 of the Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme has been completed, Public Health Engineering Minister Renikton Tongkhar informed today.
Although the progress is welcome, the minister admitted that work to implement it is causing problems for the general public in certain locations, especially Mawlai where roads have had to be dug up to lay pipes.
He said that the department has received several complaints about the inconvenience but its hands are tied as they also need to ensure that the work is completed at the earliest.
“I apologise to the citizens for the problem they have to face while driving through Mawlai,” Tongkhar said.
In January, the minister told Highland Post that his department is aiming to finish Phase 3 by the end of this year.
“I have put pressure on the officers and contractors and also held a meeting with them and even requested them personally to try and complete the project this year,” Tongkhar said today.
One of the difficulties in implementing the project has been the tussle between the PHE and Public Works Department.
“The PWD, they love their roads, so they never want to allow anyone to dig up their roads. That is a problem but, eventually, we work it out together,” Tongkhar said.
