Alignment of package-III of Shillong-Dawki road finalized: Tynsong

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaJuly 27, 2023

The alignment for the package-III of the Shillong-Dawki road has been finalized at a meeting chaired by the Deputy Chief Minister in-charge PWD (Roads) Prestone Tynsong here on Thursday.

East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner RM Kurbah, officials from the National Highway and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) and departments of forest, PHE, MeECL also attended the review meeting.

Addressing the media, Tynsong said, “We have finalized the alignment of the package-III which falls under the Pynursla bypass. Now, the NHIDCL will send this alignment approved by the state government to the head office of NHIDCL and Ministry of Road Transport (for its approval).”

According to him, the stretch of the package-III is about 8-10 kilometres.  

Admitting that there is delay in the implementation of the project, Tynsong however said there are many factors leading to the undue delay especially due to peculiar land tenure system in the state of Meghalaya.

“It is so peculiar that if one landowner does not want to part the land then the entire project ends. The district collector needs to call them a hundred times and sometimes the concerned department has to go to the site 3-10 times to redraw the alignment. These are all the issues which ultimately contributed towards the delay of the project,” he added.

He said the department was able to finally finalise the alignment today after having sat with the landowners for more than 20 times.

Whether the project is facing any cost escalation due to the delay, the deputy CM said, “Since project is prepared by the NHIDCL, relating to the expenditure that I really don’t know as I am here just to make sure that the road has to be completed on time. The hurdles, the issues which were already there I am trying to resolve. So from the state government side, we are doing that.”

He informed that very soon the government will also resolve a few more portions of the land as it is yet to handover to the NHIDCL for the construction of the Mawshun bypass.

Regarding the issue relating to the unwillingness of the Indian Institute of Geomagnetism to part their land for the project, Tynsong said that negotiation is on with the NHIDCL.

“Because it is a government of India versus government of India, we have entrusted NHIDCL and also ministry of road transport to sit down with this particular central government office for the parting of that land which is known as four lane from Shillong to Baniun and discussion is on and I am sure very soon this issue will be resolved,” he said.

The deputy CM also said that he is not aware of the allegation that NGOs are demanding a percentage from the project. “If those who were asked to pay in percentage come to the government officially, we can take it up but I am not aware of that,” he said.

Meanwhile, Tynsong informed that the meeting also discussed the deplorable road conditions beyond Pynursla. “It is resolved that we will start repairing immediately and once the winter season starts they will also go for a proper black topping of the road,” he added.