Over 34 road projects under the Meghalaya plan schemes have been sanctioned for Rs 85.5 crore covering a total length of 70.08 km during 2021-22, Meghalaya governor Satya Pal Malik said on March 4.
In his address during the first day of the budget session, Malik said the state government attaches the highest priority to providing village connectivity & up-gradation of the existing road network in the state.
He said the construction and widening of critical road projects like NH-40 between Shillong and Dawki, widening of Tura-Dalu road and up-gradation of Nongstoin-Wahkaji road are all in good progress.
Further, under Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, the total number of sanctioned schemes till date is 1174 to connect 728 habitations with a total sanctioned cost of Rs 3,034 crore covering a length of 4755.19 km, he said.
Till date, 799 road works have been completed covering a length of 3,546.5 km connecting 550 habitations. Out of 112 sanctioned long-span bridges, 44 have been completed, Malik added.
He further informed that under the World Bank-funded Meghalaya Integrated Transport Project, there are 13 projects amounting to Rs 547 crore including the construction of 3 major bridges.
“The works are in good progress and expected to complete within the stipulated time,” he said while adding that the proposals for improvement of roads in Shillong city and other towns of the state such as Jowai, Nongstoin and Williamnagar are also being taken up.
Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, the governor informed that the state has set a target to prove 3,38,903 functional household tap connections for the financial year 2021-22, out of which 1,20,815 FHTCs have been provided so far.
The total number of rural households in Meghalaya to be provided with FHTCs is 5,89,888 out of which 2,14, 449 households, that is 36.35% of the total households in the state have been provided with FHTCs.
In 1,287 villages of the state 100 percent households have been provided with FHTCs making them Har Ghar Jal villages.
Stating that air connectivity is crucial for the overall development of the state, the governor sadi that the Shillong Airport at Umroi has seen a great increase in passengers and Shillong is now connected to 8 cities – Kolkata, Guwahati, Dimapur, Dibrugarh, Lengpuli, Agartala, Imphal and Silchar.
He said more flights are likely to be introduced in the coming year connecting other regions.
Malik also informed that the department has recently laid the foundation stone for setting up of inspection & certification centre for vehicles at Meghalaya Transport Corporation, central workshop premises in Shillong. The purpose of the project is to ensure automated testing of the fitness of vehicles which at present is being done manually.
