The National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited (NHICDL) has invited tender for widening of the National Highway-40 from Shillong to Tamabil that links Meghalaya with Bangladesh.

The road project is being funded by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) at Rs 1,251 crore.

Informing this, Meghalaya deputy chief minister in-charge PWD (Roads), Prestone Tynsong said the NHIDCL has invited the tender in four packages and each package of the tender will cost not less than Rs 120 crore.

The 71 km long NH-40 will be converted into four-lane for about 15 km from Umshyrpi bridge in Shillong to Bañiun at 7th Miles, Upper Shillong.

The project has to be completed in two-and-half years from the date of the allotment of work.

The widening includes construction of a new bridge over Umngot river at Dawki.

A new bridge at Dawki has to be built as an existing single lane 136-metre suspension bridge is old and unable to support heavy vehicles with loads.

The new bridge at Dawki will be of 368 metres length and 12.5 metres width, and it will be built upward of the existing bridge.

An old bridge at Dawki was built by the British since 1932 as an overland link between the then provinces of East Bengal and Assam.