Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong has stressed on resolving land acquisition issues that has delayed road projects in the State.
Tynsong, who is also in charge of PWD, held a review meeting to assess key road infrastructure projects being implemented by the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) across the state.
While expressing satisfaction with the overall progress of the projects he emphasised that resolving land-related hurdles is a top priority.
While some landowners have obstructed work citing unpaid compensation, Tynsong clarified that payments have been made to verified claimants, but counterclaims often complicate the process. Allegations of middlemen demanding commissions from landowners in the Shillong Western Bypass project were also raised during the meeting, but the minister stated that landowners have the freedom to appoint representatives, and the department has adhered to all guidelines.
The discussions centred on significant projects, including the Dainadubi-Darugre Road (40 km, Rs 705.83 crore), Darugre-Williamnagar Road (36 km, Rs 801 crore), Tura-Dalu Road (51 km, Rs 610 crore), Nongstoin-Rambrai-Kyrshai Road (33 km, Rs 359 crore), and the Shillong Western Bypass, which is divided into three packages. The sanctioned costs for these bypass packages are Rs 620 crore for 12.8 km, Rs 686 crore for 11.9 km, and Rs 562 crore for 13.55 km.
The Shillong-Dawki Road, with an estimated cost of over Rs 1,200 crore across multiple packages, was also reviewed, along with the Tura Bypass and the ambitious high-speed corridor connecting Mawlyngkhung in Meghalaya to Panchgram in Assam. This corridor, budgeted at Rs 25,000 crore—including Rs 15,000 crore allocated for Meghalaya—will be a greenfield project designed to bypass existing roads and villages.
The high-speed corridor project, which will connect Meghalaya and Assam via a four-lane expressway, is expected to reduce congestion and boost connectivity.
Additionally, discussions included the alignment of a proposed four-lane road from Umiam to Shillong. The Ministry of Road Transport and Highways has approved the project, and the Chief Engineer of NHIDCL will collaborate with consultants to finalise the alignment.
Tynsong mentioned that upgrading the Umiam-Jorabat expressway to six lanes was earlier proposed by the ministry but immediate plans prioritise the stretch from Jorabat to Nagaon. Tynsong assured that all projects complied with environmental regulations, including clearances from the Pollution Control Board and the Forest Department.
The minister reiterated the government’s commitment to completing these transformative projects on time, highlighting their potential to significantly improve infrastructure and connectivity in Meghalaya in the coming years.
