Aiming to ensure adequate and sustainable drinking water supply for the rapidly expanding New Shillong Township and 32 adjoining villages, Meghalaya Minister-in-Charge of Public Health Engineering (PHE) Marcuise N. Marak has reviewed the progress of the ambitious New Shillong Water Supply Project, underscoring the government’s push to translate infrastructure vision into on-ground reality.
The project, seen as a critical backbone for future urban growth in the state capital region, is expected to significantly strengthen water security once completed.
The PHE Minister conducted an on-site inspection of the project at Nongkhali village along with senior officials of the department and expressed satisfaction over the pace of work, despite initial setbacks.
“I did inspection for the New Shillong Water Supply scheme project yesterday, I went to the Dam side, the work is progressing very well. I hope it will be able to complete as per the stipulated time,” Marak said, while outlining the current status of execution.
Providing a detailed update, the minister noted that civil works have achieved 30 per cent completion, while procurement of critical components such as pipes, pumps and machinery has reached nearly 90 per cent. He acknowledged that land-related hurdles had caused delays in the initial phase. “There was little delay because of land issues was there. So we our officials have gone for a negotiations which took almost a year,” he said, adding that challenges at the dam site also necessitated a change in location. “There were issues of Dam site also we had to shift the Dam side for the second selection site which is the present construction site, So therefore it took almost a year.”
Marak described the terrain as particularly demanding, highlighting the complexities involved in accessing the dam location. “With regards to negotiations for land, Etc and construction of road towards the dam site is very challenging. It’s a steep gorge kind of a Location there,” he said.
According to him, the construction of the approach road consumed considerable time, but the situation has now improved. “So, therefore, the construction of road was also taking some time, but now road has reached till the point till the dam site and construction is going full swing.”
He further informed that groundwork activities are nearing completion. “Almost the foundational part is completing, digging of the Earth, Clearing of the earth for necessary Construction is almost done. With in next 10 days, we’ll be able to start the construction of dam,” the minister said, expressing optimism that substantial progress would be achieved within the current working season. “So therefore, We are hoping that within this working season, to certain extent, dam will be able to complete.”
On timelines, Marak admitted that while the original project duration was two years, unforeseen challenges have eaten into the schedule. “Our target is very certain that two years was given, So One year to already spend in negotiating with the land issues and all and other challenges, So one year this is left, we’ll have to extend the time,” he said. However, he stressed that the executing company is working at an intense pace to make up for lost time. “But Company is going sll out, they are working 16, 17, 18 hours a day. They are trying to complete it next year itself.”
Once operational, the project is expected to be a game-changer for the region. “Once it is completed it will cover the New Shillong Township as well as 32 villages very close to New Shillong Township,” Marak said, adding that while the initial target is to supply 15 million litres per day, the system has been designed for future scalability. “We are targeting 15 MLD water but ultimately we will get around 50 MLD water we will go.”
