Shillong: A key stretch of the Shillong-Dawki road near Pomlum has been closed to all traffic due to continuous landslips, disrupting travel for tourists heading to Asia’s cleanest village, Mawlynnong, and the Dawki region of Meghalaya, officials said on Friday.
The Office of the Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil), Pynursla Civil Sub-Division, has issued a series of public notices restricting vehicular movement along the Shillong—Dawki road due to continuous landslips.
The road closure, imposed on Thursday night, will remain in effect until further notice.
Despite round-the-clock clearance operations, fresh landslips continue to occur, posing serious risks to both commuters and workers, officials added.
The affected stretch is part of the ongoing Shillong-Dawki road project, which aims to improve and widen National Highway 40.
The project is being executed in multiple packages, with package-II covering the stretch from Laitlyngkot to Pomlum. This package involves the improvement and widening of the road to a two-lane configuration with paved shoulders.
The work is being funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
In a separate directive, the Additional Deputy Commissioner announced that the movement of goods and boulder-laden trucks from Lad-Umsyiem to Dawki Bridge will remain restricted until restoration works are completed and the road is declared safe for heavy vehicles.
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Authorities have advised all travellers, including tourists, to avoid the affected stretch and use alternative routes until the situation improves.
