On June 10, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong appealed to Bindas Syiem, a resident of Umden, to end her hunger strike, which has entered its fifth day. Syiem is protesting to demand the construction of the Nongpoh-Umden-Sonapur road.
In his address to reporters, Tynsong assured that the state government is seeking immediate approval from the Centre for over Rs 100 crore to reconstruct and widen the 20 km stretch from Nongpoh to Umden and to construct the 39 km stretch from Umden to Lum-nongrim.
Tynsong disclosed that in March, the government had submitted a proposal through the North Eastern Council (NEC) to the Ministry of DoNER, requesting funds for the reconstruction and widening of the Nongpoh-Umden road, estimated at Rs 51-52 crore. He added that the detailed project report is currently being prepared and will soon be forwarded to the NEC and DoNER.
Emphasizing the urgency of the project, Tynsong stated that both he and the Chief Minister would meet with the DoNER Minister and other officials to expedite the project’s approval. The project plans to upgrade the Nongpoh-Umden road to an intermediate lane to better accommodate traffic.
The second phase of the project, covering the stretch from Umden to Lum-nongrim, which connects to the national highway at Byrnihat, has already been included in PMGSY-III, with an estimated cost of Rs 50-51 crore. The total cost of the project thus exceeds Rs 100 crore.
Tynsong urged Syiem to end her hunger strike, reaffirming the government’s dedication to the road project’s implementation. He invited her for a discussion to address her concerns, but emphasized that the “door is open” if she remains unsatisfied with the government’s explanations.
He also noted that the project had been conceptualized long ago, with local leaders persistently requesting road repairs. Although it had been included in the World Bank’s priority list during the previous government’s tenure, it could not be implemented due to cost constraints.