SHILLONG: The Meghalaya government has sanctioned a revised budget of ₹772.92 crore for Phase-I of the New Shillong Water Supply Scheme (NSWSS), marking a substantial increase of ₹234.48 crore over the initial ₹538.44 crore allocation.
The upgrade responds to critical infrastructural and environmental challenges facing the region.
Public Health Engineering (PHE) Minister Marcuise N. Marak announced the enhanced financial outlay in the State Legislative Assembly, explaining that the revised budget was approved on May 26, 2026, following initial administrative approval in March 2024.
The ambitious project aims to provide clean, potable water to the rapidly growing New Shillong Township, Mawkhanu Knowledge City, 32 surrounding villages—including Mawdiangdiang, Mawpdang, Diengpasoh, Nonghali, and Umsawli—and a cluster of government offices and institutions.
Phase-I covers major infrastructure works: construction of a dam and jackwell at Nonghali on the Wah Umkhen river, installation of mild steel pumping mains, a Stage-I Pumping Station at Diengpasoh, advanced pumps and motors, a water treatment plant at Mawpdang, approach roads, land acquisition, and a modern SCADA operational monitoring system.
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Minister Marak cited five main drivers for the budget increase. The most significant was relocating the primary dam site upstream to avoid a proposed waste dump, necessitating a complete redesign of the dam structure, expansion of its width, and upgraded spillway and radial gates.
These changes, coupled with added hill-cutting and slope stabilization at the jackwell, increased civil and mechanical costs.
Additional costs include land compensation to local Dorbar Shnongs for pipeline installation, new pumping station infrastructure, and full reconstruction of a 1.5-kilometer PWD road between Jaroit and Diengpasoh—triggered by a necessary route realignment.
(4FrontMedia news)
