PWD and contractor leave PMGSY road to crumble in West Jaintia Hills

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaSeptember 1, 2024

The Centre and State Governments have initiated the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) to improve rural infrastructure and provide all-weather road access to remote villages. However, the reality on the ground often tells a different story. The PMGSY road linking Thangbuli village under Amlarem Sub Division in West Jaintia Hills District has been left in a dilapidated state due to gross negligence by both the contractor and the PWD South Division, causing daily hardships for the villagers.

Constructed in 2020, this 4.39 km road was sponsored by the Ministry of Rural Development and connects the villages of Jarain, Thangbuli, and Umladkhur at a cost of Rs. 2.003 crore. The project was executed by contractor Lingias Dkhar and supervised by the PWD (Rds) Jowai South Division cum Programme Implementation Unit (PIU) PMGSY. Despite the mandatory five-year Defect Liability Period (DLP) that obligates the contractor to maintain the road, it has been neglected with no significant repairs carried out.

Thangbuli village headman, Disuk Tariang, highlighted that the road, once considered a vital lifeline, is now riddled with potholes, damaged edges, and clogged drains. The only repair effort by the contractor was a superficial patchup job before the War Jaintia Presbytery event in 2023, after which maintenance ceased entirely. This blatant disregard for responsibilities has left the road almost unusable, with no enforcement of compliance from the PWD South Division.

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The DLP requires the contractor to monitor and repair damages over five years, with Rs. 21.385 lakh specifically earmarked for maintenance, including trimming of grass and shrubs, restoration of rain cuts, maintenance of earthen shoulders, filling potholes, sealing cracks, and maintaining roadside drains and structures and attending to road furniture and whitewashing parapets. However, none of these critical tasks have been executed properly, leaving the road in a continuous state of neglect.

Despite written complaints to the Executive Engineer of the PWD South Jowai Division in 2022-2023, no substantial action has been taken. The contractor’s minimal and sporadic repairs appear to be mere formalities, with no sustained effort to maintain the road. Tariang expressed deep frustration, stating, “We condemn the contractor’s negligence and the PWD’s inaction. If the road is not repaired by September, the dorbar shnong will be forced to take matters into their own hands. This road is not just a path but a lifeline for our community, and its current state is an unacceptable burden.”

Kampher Pohlong, General Secretary of Synjuk Waheh Shnong Ri Jaintia and Synjuk Waheh Shnong Amlarem, also criticized the PWD South Division’s oversight, urging officials to personally inspect the deteriorating road conditions. He noted that the work order mandates regular maintenance for five years, yet the road has seen no repairs beyond token efforts. “The lack of accountability is alarming. The contractor has done the bare minimum, often placing stones and sand as a temporary fix to mislead the public,” he remarked.