KHADC to enhance fund for road repairs

***The meeting between KHADC chief executive member PN Syiem and KSU on Friday***

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, FEB 3: The Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council (KHADC) on Fruday decided to enhance the funds from Rs 20 crore to Rs 25 crore for repairing of the existing single-lane roads in South West Khasi hills, a region rich in uranium deposits.

The council also announced its willingness to deposit the funds, which will be earmarked from the special assistance grant sanctioned by the centre, to the state government for taking up the repairing project within this year.

The decision was revealed after a meeting between the KHADC chief executive member PN Syiem and the delegation of the Khasi Students’ Union (KSU) which met him on Friday to seek clarification on the delay to implement the proposed project.

Addressing newsmen after the meeting, Syiem said, “We have decided to enhance the funds from Rs 20 crore to Rs 25 crore for repairing of the roads in the district.”

He said that the proposed repairing project will be included in the council’s budget for the year 2016-2017.

“Once the special assistance grant for 2016-17 is released by the Centre, the council is also willing to immediately deposit the Rs 25 crore to state government (PWD) for taking up the repairing project within this year,” Syiem said.

Referring to the PWD’s decision not to grant permission to the KHADC to take up the repairing work of the road last year, Syiem said, “Whether it grant the permission or not but we feel that if we are both at loggerhead on the issue, it is the people who will suffer. So it is better for the KHADC to deposit the money to the PWD as it had suggested earlier.”

KHADC earlier last year in a meeting with the anti-uranium groups and pro-road groups had assured to earmarked Rs 20 crore from the Rs 133.12 crore funds special assistance grant sanctioned by the centre for 2015-16.

However Syiem said due to inability of the PWD to grant permission that time, KHADC had decided to enhance the MDC shares from Rs 2 crore to Rs 3 crore to ensure there is no delay in implementation of the Rs 133.12 crore.