Shillong: A critical section of the Shillong-Dawki highway at Laitlyngkot has sat in ruins for twenty days. The road collapsed on June 21, yet the National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited and state officials have failed to start repairs. This vital link remains impassable.
Thousands of residents across the Ri War Mihngi region are effectively trapped. Families cannot reach hospitals, students miss classes, and daily workers have lost their primary income streams. Costs for staples like dal have spiked as trucks take longer, more expensive detours through Sohra. Local tourism, a key revenue driver for towns like Mawlynnong, is crashing due to mass cancellations.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong pushed for a temporary bypass shortly after the collapse, but the narrow path cannot handle heavy cargo. Gridlock is now constant. Locals are furious over the lack of equipment and manpower at the site. A local representative said, "There is no visible progress on the ground. Not a single piece of heavy machinery is active at the collapse site."
The contractors, YFC and ACE, have provided no timeline for fixing the road. People in Pynursla and surrounding areas are done waiting. They intend to launch protests if the state does not force the NHIDCL to act immediately.
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