Shillong to get 10-km eastern bypass via Mawshbuit to cut traffic congestion
Deputy CM Prestone Tynsong says 300 metres of defence land near Mawshbuit is crucial for the proposed Shillong bypass
Shillong, Sept 10: A bypass is being planned from Sohryngkham to Mawshbuit and Mawlynrei to ease traffic congestion in the Meghalaya capital, the Assembly was on Tuesday.
Commercial vehicles can avoid the traffic rush here through the proposed 9.95-km bypass, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, who also holds the PWD (Roads) portfolio, said in response to a question raised by VPP legislator from Mawryngkneng, Heavingstone Kharpran.
Tynsong said that the project is part of a permanent solution to resolve issues relating to the Mawshbuit- Happy Valley road following erection of a gate of the 58 Gorkha Training Centre on this stretch, which has affected residents of Mawshbuit village.
“The distance from Mawshbuit to Mawlynrei is 4 km. However, 300 metres of this stretch is Defence land. We are talking with the Defence authorities to ensure that we can construct the alternative road,” he said.
Tynsong said that the village authorities have donated land for the proposed road. However, he requested the local MLA to get more land so that the road could be extended to a 10-km bypass.
“If we get land from Sohryngkham to Mawshbuit and from Mawshbuit to Mawlynrei, this will be called the Eastern bypass,” Tynsong said. This bypass can be used by commercial vehicles, which will help ease the traffic congestion in the State capital, he added.
Regarding the 600-metre road from Mawshbuit to Happy Valley, which has remained unrepaired, Tynsong said that the Government would ask the Defence authorities under whose jurisdiction it falls, to repair the stretch.
“If the Defence authorities are not willing to undertake the repairs, the State Government is prepared to do the work on its own,” Tynsong said, adding that the Government would have to get a ‘no-objection certificate’ from the Defence authorities for this.