Rs 20 cr for road inadequate

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, NOV 22: PWD (Roads) minister Martin M Danggo on Tuesday indicated that the KHADC fund of Rs 20 crore alone will not be enough for repairing the existing single-lane road from Nongstoin-Wahkaji to Phlangdiloin. He made the statement after the anti-uranium groups met him at his official residence to demand the state government and the KHADC to resolve their “indifferences” and ensure the people are not deprived of development.

“The department will have to spend more as Rs 20 crore earmarked by the it is not enough,” Danggo told journalists after a separate meeting with the Khasi Students Union (KSU) and Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC).

Earlier, the PWD had turned down the request of the KHADC for handing over the road from Nongstoin-Wahkaji to Phlangdiloin for implementation of the proposed repairing project.

“We had also requested the KHADC to deposit the fund to the PWD for implementing the project, which was not agreed by them, on the ground that we cannot hand over the road,” the minister said.

On the request to consider negotiating with the district council, he said, “I will have to discuss the matter with the officials of my department before taking a call on this.”

He also assured that he would also take up the matter with the KHADC chief PN Syiem while maintaining that the larger issue is to repair the road considering the fact that the people of the area have been subjected to various problems.

Moreover, the minister stated that it would be the responsibility of the state government to ensure there is better road connectivity in the region in case the two-lane road project is withdrawn by the central government.

The proposed construction of the two-lane road project in South West Khasi Hills District could not take off following stiff oppositions by anti-uranium groups who alleged that the project is directly linked to uranium mining.

Meanwhile, the decision to pressurize the state government and the KHADC to speed up implementation of the project came after the KHADC decided to divert the Rs 20 crore for enhancement of the MDC shares from Rs 2 crore to Rs 3 crore.

The Ngos said it is necessary for both the parties to come to an understanding and break the standoff for the interest of the people of the region even as they maintained that the KHADC will also have to live up to its promises.