The national highway via Shillong bypass has been closed for vehicular traffic following massive landslide at Thangshalai in Meghalaya’s East East Khasi Hills district.
Officials in the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) on Sunday said that the landslide occurred on Saturday due to the collapse of big stones from a stone quarry near the bypass road.
“Works to clear debris are on, and movement of big vehicles has been restricted via the bypass,” an official said.
Trucks have been stranded on the Shillong bypass since Saturday night, and they are not allowed to divert to the national highway through Shillong city.
The official said that movement of vehicles on the bypass road is likely to resume on Monday morning, if works for clearing of debris are completed.
“Work men and earthmovers have pressed into service since Saturday, and they are working overtime to clear the debris and restore the road at the earliest for vehicular traffic,” the official said.
According to the NHAI officials, the massive landslide did not cause damage to the road.
The 47 km Shillong bypass begins from Lad Umroi in Ri-Bhoi district to Mawryngkneng in East Khasi district.
The Shillong bypass was constructed at Rs 220.35 crore including one major and eight minor bridges along the stretch from Lad Umroi to Mawryngkneng.
The Shillong bypass has been easing traffic congestion in the narrow national highway that passes via Shillong city.
The national highway via Shillong bypass is the lifeline for other states in the Northeast such as Tripura, Mizoram, parts of Assam’s Barak Valley, Cachar Hills and parts of Manipur’s Jiribam.