In a significant milestone for the development of the New Shillong Township, Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad laid the foundation for three crucial road infrastructures on Thursday.
CM Conrad K Sangma said, “It’s not only about the New Shillong city that needs to improve, but we also need to make the existing Shillong city better.”
The event marked a pivotal step towards the aim of enhancing connectivity and fostering sustainable urban growth in the region.
The upcoming projects involve constructing a road from Lumshyiap Bellafonte to New Shillong Township at Umsawli via Mawpat to improve connectivity and transportation. The proposed new road includes a cycle track and footpath with a CC drain and utility duct, carefully chosen for optimal accessibility and minimal environmental impact.
The main goal is to ease traffic congestion on the existing Shillong Diengpasoh Road, connecting Shillong to New Shillong Township via the Nongmynsong and Itshyrwat junctions.
“Hence, the decongestion will allow us to not only have new infrastructure outside the existing Shillong but also make the city better than it is today,” added CM Conrad K Sangma.
CM Conrad K Sangma highlighted how the new road projects will deal with traffic-related problems.
“The roads that we are making now, are going to lead us straight to New Shillong. The road from Lumshyiap Bellafonte to New Shillong Township at Umsawli via Mawpat will go straight to the New Secretariat. Consequently, there won’t be any traffic jams to reach the New Secretariat.”
With an investment of over Rs 49 crore, the new road aims to provide an alternative route, accommodating increasing vehicle volume, enhancing accessibility to key areas, and improving overall connectivity in the region.
The second significant initiative involves the construction, including metalling and blacktopping, of the road from Bribah Mawpat to IAS Colony Umsawli, incorporating advanced technology for sustained durability and efficiency.
The proposed lane is an intermediate-lane standard 5.5-meter carriageway width with an investment of Rs 21 crore.
The third project is the ongoing commitment to enhancing road infrastructure, which is evident in the Shillong Diengpasoh Road. The current 14-kilometre stretch is undergoing improvement, widening to a 2-lane standard and now spanning 21.20 km for a more accessible and secure travel experience, with an investment of over Rs 55 crore.
This upgrade is crucial as the road serves as a vital exit from Shillong, connecting key institutions like NEIGRIHMS (Northeastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences, NEIAH (Northeastern Institute of Ayurveda and Homeopathy), NIFT (National Institute of Fashion Technology) Shillong, and the new assembly building of the Meghalaya legislative assembly. The existing single-lane road struggles with increasing traffic volume, resulting in peak-hour congestion. (ANI)
