The proposed Western Bypass will finally see the light of day after landowners agreed to the government’s proposed compensation package, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, who holds the Public Works Department (Roads) portfolio, said today.
The owners had been holding out for a lot more compensation, which would have cost Rs 1,200 crore, way above the budgeted amount of Rs 650 crore.
The construction of the two-lane road with paved shoulder starts from National Highway 6 near Lad Umsaw. It is to be implemented in three packages and the projects were awarded last year.
Tynsong said that the central government had balked at the Rs 1,200 crore compensation demand and requested the state government to bring down the figure or the project would have to be cancelled.
The Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong Ri-Bhoi had met Tynsong yesterday and submitted a memorandum wherein it was stated that the landowners had agreed to accept the lower compensation originally offered by the Deputy Commissioner.
“They want this road started at the earliest and we have communicated this to the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highways,” Tynsong said.
According to him, Meghalaya was in an embarrassing situation over the project since the total project cost of the 30-plus kilometre road was around Rs 650 crore but the land compensation demanded was nearly twice that at around Rs 1,200 crore.
“We had a series of meetings at different levels and finally the revised rates have been submitted, which comes to around Rs 650 crore, which I feel is reasonable,” Tynsong said.
