TIKRIKILLA, Sept 11: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday laid the foundation stone for an RCC bridge over the Didak River at Jangrapara along the Tikrikilla-Jangrapara road, highlighting the government’s efforts to strengthen road connectivity across Garo Hills.
Sangma said connectivity in Garo Hills had improved significantly in recent years, noting that the journey between Baghmara and Rongara had been reduced to around 30 minutes, while travel time between Rongara and Ranikor had fallen from nearly three hours to about one hour.
He said Meghalaya had constructed more than 3,500 km of roads over the last eight years, averaging around 1.1 km of road construction a day.
Sangma emphasised that better road connectivity was closely linked to economic opportunities, livelihoods and overall growth, particularly for communities in remote and rural areas.
He also highlighted infrastructure development beyond roads, saying the government was simultaneously strengthening schools, Community and Rural Development (C&RD) Block offices and healthcare facilities across the state.
More than Rs 200 crore had been sanctioned for 56 blocks over the last four years to improve public infrastructure and service delivery at the grassroots level, he said.
The Chief Minister said development was a gradual process, but the government was laying the foundation for a stronger, better-connected and more developed Meghalaya, with improved infrastructure aimed at creating greater opportunities for people across the state.
