The Public Works Department (PWD) will now develop new roads earlier proposed as smart road projects under the Shillong Smart City.
Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar informed that the State government will construct 40-50 km of roads in the city in place of the smart roads project which were cancelled.
“We abandoned the projects as we face complications. In order for the project to continue, the PWD has prepared an estimate for almost all important roads in the city,” Dhar said, adding, “We will get good roads.”
In July this year, the government decided to cancel all 17 projects in the city that were meant to convert existing roads into ‘smart roads’ at a cost of Rs 36 crore.
The Smart Road project, initially designed to upgrade the city’s road infrastructure with advanced technologies and improved facilities, faced multiple hurdles, including land acquisition issues, financial constraints, and logistical challenges. These impediments led the government to reassess the project’s viability and ultimately decide on its cancellation.
The government is under criticism over the implementation of the Smart City Project, but Dhar said, “We are in the process of improving everything and it will fall into place. Be patient”.
