Shillong, May 6, 2026: The Hynniewtrep Youths’ Council has strongly criticised the sharp rise in the cost of the New Shillong Township (NST) Water Supply Project, which has reportedly increased from ₹321 crore to ₹770 crore under the Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government.
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In a statement, HYC president Roy Kupar Synrem termed the nearly ₹450 crore escalation as a reflection of “gross financial mismanagement, lack of planning, and administrative incompetence.” He said the surge in project cost raises serious questions about governance and accountability.
“It is unacceptable that a project conceptualised in 2014 at ₹321 crore has now ballooned to ₹770 crore, allegedly due to reasons not properly anticipated earlier. Such explanations only point to negligence and poor foresight at the cost of public money,” Synrem said.
The council questioned why proper feasibility studies and planning were not conducted before the project’s approval and demanded to know who would be held accountable for the escalation. It also raised concerns over whether taxpayers should bear the burden of what it described as administrative failures.
The HYC further noted that the issue comes at a time when residents of Meghalaya continue to face pressing challenges such as unemployment, poor road infrastructure, water shortages, inadequate healthcare facilities, and limited access to basic services.
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The organisation warned that such uncontrolled increases in project costs undermine transparency and accountability and may point to possible misuse of public funds. “Public money is not the private property of any government or contractor. Every rupee wasted due to incompetence or mismanagement is a direct betrayal of the people,” Synrem added.
Reiterating its stance, the HYC urged the state government to ensure greater transparency, conduct proper audits, and take responsibility for lapses in project execution. It called for stronger mechanisms to prevent similar cost overruns in future public infrastructure projects.
The New Shillong Township Water Supply Project is considered a key initiative aimed at addressing the region’s growing water demand, making its cost escalation a matter of significant public concern.
