The long-delayed Shillong–Dawki road project in Meghalaya continues to face timeline challenges, with officials now indicating that Phase II and Phase IV are likely to be completed only by December 2027.
Authorities have imposed traffic restrictions along several construction stretches to ensure safety during the ongoing work. Currently, vehicular movement is allowed only between 4 am and 11:30 am and again from 4 pm to 9:30 pm. While officials say the restrictions are necessary to prevent accidents, residents and commuters have raised concerns over the limited movement window, stating that it has significantly disrupted their daily routines and transportation.
A senior official associated with the project said the curbs were implemented to avoid any untoward incidents during construction. “Safety of the people is our utmost priority, especially after some unfortunate incidents in the past,” the official said. He added that the police, in coordination with the construction firm, are facilitating movement in cases of medical or other emergencies.
Progress on different segments of the project varies. Package II, which involves widening the 35-km stretch from Mylliem Marbaniang to Lad Langkawet, has reached around 60 per cent completion. Meanwhile, Package IV—covering the 27-km stretch from Khliehtyrsaw to Lad Lapalang—is nearly 80 percent complete and includes widening the road to two lanes with paved shoulders.
Work has also started on Package V, a 7.99-km stretch from Lad Lapalang to Tamabil (Dawki), which includes construction of a new 368-meter bridge over the Umngot River. Officials said construction activity has already progressed close to the Dawki bridge area.
However, geographical challenges have slowed work in certain sections. According to officials, the narrow road stretches and difficult hilly terrain make construction work particularly challenging.
The proposed Package III—the Pynursla Bypass from Wahlyngkhat to Khliehtyrsaw—has been awarded to Dhar Brothers Construction, but work has not yet begun due to land acquisition and alignment issues. Authorities recently released around ₹95 crore for land compensation to resolve these hurdles.
The 90-km Shillong–Dawki road project, originally scheduled for completion in December 2025, has missed several deadlines. The ₹1,377.5 crore project is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).