SHILLONG: The President of the Hynniewtrep Youth Council (HYC), Roy Kupar Synrem, has expressed deep concern and condolences to the families of the two individuals who lost their lives in a tragic incident at Mawlieh Village yesterday due to a landslide and falling boulders.
Speaking to media persons, Roykupar pointed out that since the commencement of the Shillong-Pynursla-Dawki road expansion, frequent accidents have occurred, leading to the continuous loss of human lives and extensive damage to vehicles and property, affecting both local residents and tourists.
He stated that while the council welcomes development and the widening of the road for the benefit of the region and the State as a whole, they cannot remain blind to the loss of precious human lives and are deeply troubled to see such tragic incidents recurring.
He further noted that according to information gathered by the council, since the road expansion began, lives have been lost consistently including two people in 2023, while in 2025, five members of a single family, including an infant, lost their lives, and most tragically, two more individuals passed away in yesterday’s landslide at Mawlieh.
He added that in total, approximately 10 people have lost their lives on this road to date. The HYC believes that the execution of this road project has not followed the required safety standards and protocols.
The council alleges that there may be lapses on the part of the contractors or the government departments overseeing the construction, as the destruction of property continues and there is no safety for the public who use the road daily.
Consequently, the HYC Central Executive Council today took a firm step by submitting a Letter Petition before the Honorable High Court of Meghalaya, urging for immediate judicial intervention regarding the horrific accidents occurring on the Shillong-Pynursla-Dawki road.
The council expressed that this road has become extremely dangerous because the construction is being carried out without proper safety measures, including the absence of warning signs, adequate barricades, reflective indicators, and a lack of systematic traffic management at diversion points.
The council is gravely concerned that if immediate steps are not taken, there may be further loss of valuable human lives in the coming days.
Through this petition, the HYC has urged the High Court to issue orders to the State Government, the NHIDCL, and the Public Works Department (PWD) to immediately implement proper safety measures, conduct a road safety audit, rectify traffic management in construction zones, and hold the concerned authorities accountable for public safety.
The council clarified that development and infrastructure projects should not be carried out at the cost of human lives, and public safety must be the highest priority.
The HYC expressed its firm hope that the High Court will take serious note of this matter to prevent further tragic incidents and to protect the lives and property of the general public.
