Is the MDA government admitting that smart road projects under the Shillong Smart City have failed?
There are around 17 roads in the city which the State government tried to convert into smart roads at the cost of Rs 36 crore but the State government has decided to cancel all of them.
One smart road being constructed at Lower Lachaumiere from the Passport office to MPSC office has remained incomplete till date even though the work started in 2022.
The delay to complete the work has caused great inconvenience to people including students of All Saints’ School.
Today, Deputy Chief Minister in charge, Urban Affairs Department, Sniawbhalang Dhar told media persons here that the smart road project at Lower Lachaumiere under the first phase of Shillong Smart City has been cancelled after it was found that it was not feasible.
Pointing out that only 3-4 per cent of the work has been completed, Dhar said that the government will now put up fresh estimates from the State plan to resurface major roads in the city which will be like a smart road itself.
“Why waste time if we can resurface the major roads which will be like smart roads only,” he said while adding that a very small amount has been spent on the Lachaumiere smart road project.
According to Dhar, the government is preparing the estimates and DPR to resurface major roads in the city.
Asked to comment on what went wrong with the smart road project, Dhar said that non-availability of land and narrow roads are one of the major factors which led to the decision while adding that the officers will make an incomplete financial bill for the incomplete smart road in Lower Lachaumiere.
He also said that similar problems crop in the smart road projects even in other cities
However, Dhar said that almost all the projects under the Shillong Smart City are progressing well and some will be inaugurated by August-September this year
Pointing out that construction of markets in Polo, Laitumkhrah and even the Integrated Command Control Centre are nearing completion, he informed that the work for around 1200 parking lots under the State plan is also progressing well.
Stating that the State government is ready for Smart City 2.0, Dhar also asked the pressure groups in the state to work with the government to take the State forward.
His statement came in the wake of recent disturbances caused by pressure groups that visited different construction sites and checked the documents of the labourers and even chased out labourers having no papers.
