JOWAI : Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar has described the proposed ₹21,000-crore greenfield four-lane highway connecting Ri-Bhoi with Ratacherra as a game-changer for Jaintia Hills, saying the project will significantly reduce travel time and transportation costs while boosting economic activities across the region.

Speaking at a gathering at the Thadlaskein C&RD Block on Thursday, following the foundation stone-laying ceremonies for various development projects in Jowai and Nartiang by Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, Dhar said the proposed 166-km highway would pass through the entire Jaintia Hills region, with nearly 80 per cent of its stretch falling within the region.

He said the project, which has been sanctioned by the Prime Minister, would be unprecedented in the Northeast and is expected to transform road connectivity once completed.

According to Dhar, the highway could reduce the journey from Khliehriat to Guwahati from around six hours to just three hours, provided the project is completed within the projected three to four years.

Highlighting its economic benefits, the Deputy Chief Minister said transportation costs could also witness a substantial reduction. The cost of transporting coal, currently estimated at ₹5,000 per tonne, could come down to around ₹2,000, while the transportation cost of vegetables could drop from ₹1,800 to between ₹700 and ₹800 per tonne.

Dhar also hit back at political parties criticising the government for focusing on major infrastructure projects, maintaining that the government does not discriminate between big and small projects but takes decisions based on the needs and requirements of the people.

He said the foundation stones laid for various projects should not be dismissed as mere ceremonies, pointing out that several projects had already moved into the implementation stage.

Urging people to acknowledge the government’s achievements, Dhar said people often focused on criticising political leaders while overlooking the development taking place across the state.

Reflecting on the last eight years, he claimed that East and West Jaintia Hills had witnessed significant improvements in healthcare, electricity, sports infrastructure and road connectivity.

On road connectivity, Dhar revealed that only 18 villages in the Jaintia Hills region remained without road access, out of more than 860 to 870 villages across Meghalaya that were yet to be connected by roads.

He said Jaintia Hills, comprising seven constituencies, already had at least 10 to 11 interstate highways and was nearing the desired level of road connectivity.

On healthcare infrastructure, Dhar said the government was working towards developing Jaintia Hills into a regional healthcare hub to reduce the need for patients to travel outside the region for specialised treatment.

He said plans were underway to expand the Community Health Centre at Ummulong and Ialong Civil Hospital, while efforts were also being made to establish a nursing college to provide internship opportunities locally.

He further announced that the government would soon lay the foundation stone for a 30-bedded hospital at Mookyndur, estimated to cost ₹11 crore, with the project expected to move forward by next year.

Dhar said the long-term objective was to ensure that even patients suffering from serious illnesses could receive treatment within Jaintia Hills instead of having to travel to facilities such as NEIGRIHMS or Supercare in Shillong.

He acknowledged that developing all necessary healthcare facilities would take time, but maintained that the government was addressing the requirements in phases.

The Deputy Chief Minister also highlighted the importance of sports infrastructure, saying investments in sports facilities were aimed at keeping young people away from social evils and encouraging them to pursue positive activities.

On education, he said the government had been able to establish an engineering college, a medical college and a people’s college as part of its efforts to improve educational opportunities for young people.

Dhar also highlighted improvements in grassroots administration, pointing to the inauguration of the full-fledged Thadlaskein C&RD Block office building and the ongoing construction of a new office building for the Namdong C&RD Block.

He said these institutions played an important role in delivering government services directly to the people.

Concluding his address, Dhar thanked former and present ministers and legislators for their contributions to the development of Jaintia Hills and urged people to work together with the government to take the region forward.