SHILLONG: The Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme Phase III (GSWSS), which has been facing significant delays, now has a revised completion deadline of March 2025.
Meghalaya Public Health Engineering Minister Marcuise N Marak attributed the delays to several factors, including resource constraints and lack of inter-departmental coordination, among others.
He said that the delays in obtaining permissions from the Public Works Department (PWD) for laying the pipeline for the distribution of water to the 12 zones in the entire Shillong City have hampered the completion of the project.
Marak also noted that delays in securing forest clearances and obtaining a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Hima Mawphlang for the construction of pumping (station) at a place very close to Umiew River also led to the delay in the completion of GSWSS-III.
Regarding the New Shillong Water Supply Scheme Phase-I, the government has sanctioned Rs 538.44 crore and work has been allotted. The remaining Rs 1,111 crore for Phase II will be sanctioned at a later stage.
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Despite the challenges, the government remains committed to completing these vital water supply projects to meet the growing needs of Shillong’s population.
The project, sanctioned in 2008, was originally scheduled for completion by December 2023.
The project aims to provide water supply facilities to its capital city Shillong and the adjoining areas to keep pace with the increasing demand from population growth.
