Mumbai, Oct. 23 -- Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar said the government has sanctioned Rs. 3.8 bn for the Nongstoin-Ranikor road project, while travel time between Nongstoin and Maweit has fallen from 3 to 4 hours to 45 minutes. He made the announcement at the closing ceremony of the second MLA Cup 2026 in Nongstoin, West Khasi Hills.
Dhar said Nongstoin had not previously benefited from urban schemes but had undergone rapid transformation over the past 3 to 4 years. The changes include roads, lanes and footpaths, alongside wider efforts to improve infrastructure and stimulate economic activity in the town.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong recently laid foundation stones for several projects, including the Sohpian-Nongstoin road. Dhar said additional work was progressing from Nongstoin towards Ranikor, including projects at Balat, Mawsynram and Welloi. The Welloi-Mawsynram work involves less than Rs. 2 bn, while the Mawsynram-Umpung-Ranikor stretch has been allocated Rs. 2.74 bn.
He said the development programme also covered the health sector and was not restricted to roads. Dhar added that Meghalaya was strengthening sports infrastructure because of the state's strong football culture, which has also been recognised by the FIFA president. The state is building a football stadium at Mawkhanu with a capacity of 40,000 and an estimated cost of Rs. 7.32 bn.
Dhar said Meghalaya had among India's highest numbers of artificial turfs and attracted national and international sporting events. On the demand for a stadium in Nongstoin, he said local representatives had submitted proposals and the government had prepared sanctions for the first phase. He said the MLA Cup was intended to promote unity, support young people through sport and help talented players progress to state and national competitions.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Construction World.