East Jaintia Hills advocate calls for immediate restoration of Shymplong Bridge

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaMay 19, 2022

One of the upcoming advocate from East Jaintia Hills District has called for immediate restoration of Shymplong bridge which was swept away by a massive flood thereby disconnecting 7000 population in villages along Indo Bangla Border.

In a letter to Deputy Commissioner, advocate Kynjaimon Amse said “It is known fact this bridge connects the border villages namely Shymplong, Borsara, Lejri, Lahalein, Huroi and Hingaria with more than 7000 population are disconnected from rest of Meghalaya. At moment there is no other alternative for the villagers particularly Lejri, Lahalein, Huroi and Hingaria. With the bridge washed away by nature, the people of the border villages are completely disconnected from the rest of the state and the country. To add fuel to the problem of this people is the fact there is no mobile connectivity and grid electricity in the area.”

He said the villages are extremely concern about the wellbeing of the population moreover concern have been raised about foods, rations and other domestic needs as there is no means to bring any requirement of the public for want of road. The people now face threat to their life as there will be shortage of food and problem of transportation during medical emergencies. The government is very much aware of this problem which further adds up with the bad and deplorable condition.

The letter stated that the bridge is the lifeline of these villagers, hence on behalf of the villagers “I am asking for immediate measures to construct the bridge and to make temporary arrangement for movement of traffic for LMV. The government should not waste any time and this should be a top priority for the government.”

According to Amse, on Tuesday he along with PWD(R) engineers has visited the site and the same has been reviewed by the engineers and hence the work should be fast track.

He said the road condition which connects all the aforementioned border villages. Over the last many years, we have made representation and movement for the construction of a proper road for the above mentioned villages. The MDoNER, Govt. of India has recently approved the proposal for construction of the said road at an estimate cost of RS. 122, 07, 00000/-.

He informed that the PWD(R) has also called for tender for the same and to our information 9 bidders have made bid for the same. “To our information, technical bid have already been opened however no information as to when the financial bid will be opened. The tender called expired on the 27th March 2022 but we failed to understand as to why there is a delay in allocating the work.”

Needles, to say the delay in issuing work orders, only add up to the problems of the border population. In our last meeting with the Chief Minister and Dy. Chief Minister, we were assured that the process will be completed by April or first week of May 2022. It is with great concern that, I am requesting your good office to urge the PWD(R) to fasten the process and issue work order for the same without further delay, Amse asserted

He also said that Rymbai-Bataw-Borghat Road is badly affected by the heavy downpour coupled with the already bad condition of road. The road being the lifeline of the many of the border villages namely Borghat, Lama, Pynurkba, Lakadong, Bataw, Natbor etc needs to be looked at seriously by the Government.
“The pain of the border population is very much understood; hence the Government should immediately repair the road and undertake maintenance work,” Amse said adding “Immediate clearing of the road for resumption of traffic is the most urgent need of the people.”

Meanwhile, the Executive Engineer P.W.D (Roads) N.E.C Division, Khliehriat has issued notice for closure of the Bridge near Shymplong on the Borghat- Sunapur Road.

According to the executive engineer he said that the bridge No. 54/1 near Shymplong village has been washed away on the night of 16th May 2022. The movement of traffic on this portion of that road has been closed indefinitely as the restoration work of the Super structure of the bridge is under process.”