In what may be described as a welcome announcement, PHE Minister Marcuise N. Marak on Wednesday promised uninterrupted supply in water-starved Shillong from Thursday. A day after the High Court of Meghalaya registered a PIL over the severe water shortage in the city, the PHE Minister pointed fingers at the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) for damaging a major water pipeline during road construction works, leading to the disruption.
Marak, who inspected the affected site along with department officials, confirmed that the leakage occurred deep within the newly-constructed NHIDCL road in the 101 Area. This caused massive water scarcity across Shillong for over a week. “The leakage was well inside the road, making it difficult to excavate and reach the damaged pipe. We had no choice but to lay a 300-metre alternative new line, which explains the delay,” Marak said. He added that the old pipeline could not be repaired due to the overlying road construction.
The minister noted that the incident coincided with ongoing PHE efforts to realign pipes affected by the same road project. Fortunately, the department had obtained necessary permissions and No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for laying pipes alongside the road. Marak revealed that PHE officers had worked tirelessly without proper rest over the past week to complete repairs. He assured residents that water supply has now been fully restored and the department will release the full volume starting Thursday.