The report filed by the State government on the status of the Shillong – Dawki road project indicated that the work is unlikely to start soon, especially on the stretch from Umshyrpi to Upper Shillong.
The matter came up during a hearing in the Meghalaya High Court today of a PIL by city-based lawyer Kaustav Paul.
Paul, who appeared in person, told the High Court that the status report filed on behalf of the State government does not clearly indicate that the work on the first phase of the Shillong – Dawki road project is ready to be commenced.
According to Paul, even though the report stated that the first phase of the four-lane road project from Umshyrpi to Upper Shillong has been allotted to a private contractor, the report also indicated that the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) is looking into the availability of the land for such phase of the work from the land under the occupation of the defence services and would also consult the State government for allotment of any additional land.
Paul told the High Court that if negotiations and discussions are yet to be completed in such regard, it cannot be said that the first phase of the work is ready to be commenced.
“There is substance in the petitioner’s apprehension. As directed earlier, no further felling of trees should take place in Shillong or in respect of the area covered by the first phase of the work without actual construction work being ready to be commenced. At any rate, NHIDCL and the State should report to this court as to when work is actually about to be commenced, whereupon appropriate leave may be granted to fell the requisite number of trees, to the extent absolutely unavoidable,” the High Court said while listing the matter for hearing on October 16.
It may be mentioned that construction of the four-lane road from Umshyrpi to Umtyngngar has been lodged in a long delay and contractors who got the work have abandoned it due to failure by the State government to hand over the land.
The major problem regarding land occurred in the stretch from Umshyrpi to Upper Shillong. If the issue is not resolved at the earliest the project may not see the light of day and result in cost escalation.
