Cabinet Minister and Pynthorumkhrah MLA Alexander L Hek has stated that there were no cracks on a new bridge at Nongmensong but are those of a culvert.
The Shillong Traffic Police had announced closure of the bridge near the BDW International School after “major” cracks appeared that could be unsafe for vehicular movement.
However, Hek said the cracks were seen in an incomplete culvert. He said engineers recently visited the site and found that the culvert is yet to be completed.
According to Hek, the engineers have told him that it will take around 4-5 months to complete the work. “I have directed the engineers to complete the work at the earliest since this is an important road,” he added.
He maintained that action cannot be taken against the contractor since the bridge is under construction. “If there was a problem after the construction, we would have definitely taken action,” he said.
Residents of Langkyrding and Nongmensong are facing significant difficulties due to delays in the construction work along the road in the area for some time now.
It is learnt that the contractors are facing challenges in passing the foundation, particularly after completing work on one side of the culverts. The area is prone to flooding during heavy rainfall, complicating construction efforts.
