Meghalaya HC Clears NHIDCL to Begin Shillong-Dawki National Highway Project

A Correspondent

Shillong: The Meghalaya High Court on Thursday directed the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHIDCL) and the contractor that they are free to proceed with the building of the first part or package of the proposed national highway from Shillong to Dawki near the border of Bangladesh.

“They can proceed with all other work except felling of trees, for the time being. A joint report by the NHIDCL and the state government is to be filed in this Court by November 29, 2024, disclosing proposed afforestation in the area around the first package with all necessary details,” a division bench of the High Court consisting of Chief Justice I.P. Mukerji and Justice W. Diengdoh stated. The first part of the proposed National Highway from Shillong to Dawki is from Rilbong to Mylliem Marbaniang, covering a distance of 11.6 km.

According to the High Court, in previous orders of this Court, it had made it clear that till the NHIDCL took a conclusive decision to go ahead with and complete the project, felling of the trees would remain stalled.

The High Court said that accordingly, there has been no felling of trees in this stretch up to this point in time.

The Court said that they are concerned with the first of the five packages, which is the stretch of the highway from Rilbong to Mylliem Marbaniang covering 11.6 km, and the order shall not relate to other packages.

The Court stated that the grievance of the writ petitioner has been that the existing road is lined up with very old and precious trees, which are not only priceless but also contribute to the natural beauty of the landscape.

“The plan of the highway in this stretch involves large-scale felling of these trees, which would be very detrimental to the environment,” the Court stated.

The proposed highway has•been divided into five packages: Rilbong to Mylliem Marbaniang, covering 11.6 km; Mylliem Marbaniang to Wahlyngkhat, of a length of 26.55 km; Wahlyngkhat to Siatbakon, covering a bypass of 8 km; Siatbakon to Wahkdait, for 17.77 km; and Wahkdait to Tamabil Dawki, a distance of 7.99 km.

Meanwhile, the High Court also informed that from the submissions of K. Khan, AAG, and Dr. N. Mozika, DSG, the following facts• are brought to light: as far as the first stretch is concerned, the acquisition of land by the state and its handing over to the NHIDCL are complete; the contractor who was entrusted with the work for the first package covering 11.6 km has been discharged and replaced by a new contractor on 25th September, 2023, with a timeline of two years from the date of commencement of the contract, that is, 23rd October, 2023, to complete the work; and till date, about 16.5 percent of the work has been done and 14.3 percent of the financial allocation expended for this purpose.

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