Shillong, May 2: The Constitutional Rights Forum has objected to the transfer of the NH-217 (Dudhnoi-Baghmara-Dalu) project to the NHIDCL and sought retaining the jurisdiction with the State NH Division for better local monitoring.
CRF president Greneth M Sangma in a letter to Union Minister for Road Transport & Highways Nitin Gadkari, said the citizens of South Garo Hills are against the transfer due to systemic negligence and substandard execution of ongoing projects.
While the NH-217 is a vital lifeline connecting Dudhnoi (Assam) to Dalu (Meghalaya) via Baghmara, Sangma said, “Our community has lost all confidence in NHIDCL’s ability to deliver durable infrastructure.”
He highlighted discrepancies in the Tura-Dalu section stating that a large portion remains incomplete or poorly executed, yet they are being treated as finished in administrative records.
Sangma pointed out that work on the Shillong to Baghmara, which was purportedly completed, suffered extensive damage as the materials and methods used by NHIDCL-contracted firms do not withstand the heavy rainfall and terrain of the Garo Hills, leading to a massive waste of public exchequer.
He said major initiatives like the Dainadubi-Darugiri expansion and the 29 km Tura Bypass (₹951.27 crore project) is also at stake.
“Handing these critical components over to NHIDCL given their track record with the Tura-Dalu and Shillong-Baghmara roads will result in further “paper-only” completions that leave our district disconnected and our economy stifled,” he added.
Stating that the NH Division remains more accessible and accountable to the local population than NHIDCL, Sangma urged Gadkari to intervene and halt the transfer of the NH-217 project components to NHIDCL.
