High Court Intervenes After Deadly Landslide Shuts Shillong–Dawki Road

Overview

• Two residents were killed when boulders crushed their Mahindra Bolero Camper at Mawlieh on Monday evening, in a slide that began above the Lyngkyrdem stretch toward Pynursla.
• The Pynursla civil administration closed the Laitlyngkot–Mawlieh section to all traffic until further notice, ordered barricades and warning signs, and warned violators of legal action.
• Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong told agencies to investigate the cause, said the road will stay shut for a few days, and announced plans to acquire land to allow slope stabilisation.
• The Meghalaya High Court took up the case on its own, added the state PWD, the Union Road Ministry, and NHIDCL as respondents, sought a report before an April 28 hearing, and directed a senior NHIDCL officer to appear.
• The Hynniewtrep Youths’ Council filed a public interest petition seeking urgent safety fixes, as locals cite repeated slides during hill-cutting, alleged lapses after blasting, and earlier fatal crashes on this upgrade of the 71.52-km, Rs 2,171 crore corridor toward Dawki.