Meghalaya: 12 villages in Ri Bhoi demand fresh alignment of border road
The residents of 12 border villages under Umtyrnga in Ri Bhoi district of Meghalaya have demanded fresh alignment of a border road after the last alignment was changed without their knowledge.
They made the demand during a public rally held at Chibra village in Ri Bhoi district on April 1.
The residents of 12 villages located along the Meghalaya-Assam border put forward the demand following the recent change in the alignment of a road from Baridua (9 Mile) to Umsen village.
According to sources, the PWD department changed the construction plan on reaching Chibra village, by-passing the other 12 villages that were earlier included, in the list during the survey.
The total amount sanctioned for the project is Rs 84 crore.
The protestors shouted slogans, urging the state government not to neglect them and to provide better connectivity to the villages in the border areas.
“The state government and the PWD department lied to us as, during the survey for the construction of the road from Baridua to Umsen village, we were told that the road would pass through the 12 villages."
"But, the construction of the road has been diverted only after reaching Chibra village and, a new alignment was drawn, connecting only two villages -- Bainanodi and Pynker B, housing only a mere population of 500,” a few of the group leaders said.
The 12 villages include Jorsyiem, Nagrabil, Jyrmang, Pillingku A, Pillingku B, Tamalbari A and Tamalbari B, Pahamjila, Umlathu, Pynker C, Pynker A till Umsen.
“The population of these 12 villages is more than four to five thousand with over four polling stations and schools. This road will benefit the villages,” the leaders underlined.
The residents have urged the government to look into the matter at the earliest so that the people of these villages would get access to proper road connectivity which they have been waiting for many years now.
