Meghalaya landowners flay Govt’s decision to hand over road project to NHIDCL

By Our Reporter, TNT News | Shillong, July 04, 2018:

The delegation of the landowners and traditional heads have expressed serious concern over the decision of the government to hand over the two lane Nongstoin-Rambrai-Kyrshai National Highway road project under SARDP-NE to the National Highway Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL).

The delegation under the umbrella of Landowners and Headmen Association met Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong, who is also in-charge of PWD, to raise their concern over this decision of the Government.

"We are afraid that this decision of the Government would further delay the project," association public secretary, Mr B.R. Thabah told newsmen after meeting Deputy Chief Minister here today.

It was learned that the progress of the two lane Nongstoin-Rambrai-Kyrshai road has been approved by the Union Ministry of Road Transport and Highway on September 25, 2015, after preparation of the DPR by Holtec Company, based in Gurgaon.

Meanwhile, Thabah stated that the land acquisition process of the project has been initiated by the office of the PWD Executive Engineer (Roads).

"The Government decided to hand over the implementation of the project to the NHIDCL in the midst of this land acquisition exercise," the association publicity secretary said.

He said that this decision of the Government might lead to the delay since the implementation of the project will involved shifting of the government utilities, forest clearance among a host of other exercises.

"We are also afraid that the language barrier with the officials of the NHIDCL might affect the implementation of the project," the association publicity secretary said.

Thabah further urged upon the State Government to re-examine the decision of handing over the project to the NHIDCL.

Replying to a query, the association general secretary said that the road project is not connected with the uranium mining.

It may be mentioned that the Centre's cabinet committee had on April 8, 2010, even transferred some of the road projects for Meghalaya from Phase-B to Phase-A of SARDP-NE and had clearly mentioned that these roads would facilitate uranium mining.

The road projects transferred to Phase-A include Nongstoin-Pambriew-Wahkaji-Mawthabah road (68km), Mawthabah-Wahkaji-Phlangdiloin-Ranikor (47km), Ranikor-Nonghyllam-Maheshkhola-Baghmara (139km) and Nongstoin-Rambrai-Kyrshai-Chaigaon (71km), all of which were to be two-laned.

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