The Army has approved the alignment of the proposed four-lane road from Rilbong to Barik, clearing a major hurdle in the crucial urban infrastructure project.
Informing this on Tuesday, Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma said he would meet Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari to push for final approval of the project.
Meanwhile, he said, the government is working out the alignment for the Umiam–Shillong four-lane project, which has both greenfield and brownfield sections, to improve traffic flow into the capital.
Recalling that several projects were announced during Gadkari’s recent visit to Shillong, Sangma said, “There were many new projects that he had promised, but a few projects were left for further discussion, including the four-lane road from Rilbong to Barik.”
To move the Rilbong–Barik project forward, the state held a coordination meeting with key agencies. “I had a detailed meeting with the JOC as well as with NHIDCL, PWD, the district administration, and all the stakeholders concerned,” he said.
“The purpose of that meeting was to finalise and crystallise the actual plan. Though everybody is in agreement, these are matters of detail which we need to work out to the micro level, and hence we had a very good meeting,” he added.