Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong today said that he has instructed the Chief Engineer, PWD National Highway to ascertain the allegations of shoddy construction of the Dawki – Amlarem – Jowai road by the Dhar Construction Company.
The Dhar Construction Company is owned by the family of senior NPP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar.
“I have already instructed my Chief Engineer whether the allegations made is correct or not and we will see that such kind of recklessness in execution of projects in the State should not happen like that,” Tynsong told media persons here today.
However, Tynsong said that the road project was looked after by the Regional Office of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) in Guwahati.
“Directly, this is linked to NHAI because this is a national highway and does not fall under the State PWD. So the NHAI is the sole control authority of this project. They are the ones who even passed the bill and everything,” he said.
On growing demand to blacklist Dhar Construction Company for various alleged poor quality road construction works in the State, Tynsong said, “I can’t say whether blacklisting is required or not. Let the process (inquiry) start. Once the process starts I will know exactly when I will get the report with all the details.”
It may be mentioned that the Joint Action Committee (JAC) comprising of HYC War Jaintia Circle, Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong War-Jaintia, Association of Exporters, and residents of the area has threatened to move the Meghalaya High Court against take Dhar Constructions Company for the alleged shoddy construction of the 16-km road that was approved by the Centre.
Referring to RTI findings, the JAC members had stated that the project cost for the 16-km road from Nongtalang to Dawki was more than Rs 43.69 crore.
The JAC members also said that two months after it was constructed by the Dhar Construction Company, the road began to deteriorate.
