The crucial Shillong-Dawki Road project has faced significant delays following strict limits placed on the movement of heavy vehicles, an official implementing the project confirmed. The restrictions were enforced after a massive chunk of the highway near Laitlyngkot collapsed last month, triggered by heavy monsoon rains and water rushing down the nearby hillside that severely weakened the earth supporting the road.
This collapse has severely hampered construction progress, particularly in ‘Package 5’—an 8-kilometer stretch extending from Umsyiem to Tamabil located beyond the damaged zone. To keep traffic moving, authorities established an alternate temporary diversion routing light motor vehicles through Umthli, Iew Mawiong, and Nongthymmai. However, because this diversion road passes through a local stone quarry, it can only support light vehicles, completely cutting off the heavy transport vehicles required to carry essential construction materials to the remaining project sites.
Amid growing public frustration, officials expressed an intention to terminate the contract of the specific firm handling the collapsed section. However, acknowledging that contract termination is a legally complex process, authorities stated that if the contractor wishes to continue, they must submit a strict, time-bound undertaking to complete the work immediately. Furthermore, safety experts from IIT Guwahati have been roped in to officially investigate the root cause of the landslide. The engineering study will commence once the monsoon subsides, as current conditions remain unsafe for testing. While initial assessments suggest that falling boulders blocked critical culverts and caused the collapse, authorities are drawing up immediate restoration plans, noting that a temporary bailey bridge is unfeasible because the road gap spans 80 meters—well beyond the bridge’s 60-meter heavy-load capacity.