Shillong: The Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) at Mawlai, Mawiong, which serves as a key hub for buses traveling in and out of Meghalaya, remains temporarily closed due to ongoing restrictions on bus traffic over the Umiam Bridge. This information was provided by the Deputy Chief Minister of Meghalaya, Shri Sniawbhalang Dhar, in response to a query raised by Mawlai MLA, Shri Brightstarwell Marbaniang, during the current session of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.
Shri Dhar explained that prior to the closure of the Umiam Bridge, 29 buses, including 12 State Transport Corporation buses, 6 Meghalaya Transport Corporation buses, 6 Assam State Transport Corporation and Arunachal Pradesh State Transport Corporation buses, along with 17 privately operated buses, regularly used the ISBT.
He further informed that 12 out of 24 commercial spaces at the ISBT had already been rented out, while the tendering process for the remaining spaces was paused due to the closure. The revenue generated from the ISBT since its inception has reached over ₹34 lakhs, with around ₹5 lakhs collected from rented shops. In light of the ongoing closure, the government has temporarily waived the rent for shop owners.
The ISBT, constructed at Mawlai Mawiong at a cost of ₹48.31 crore, was funded by the North Eastern Council (NEC) in 2015. The project was developed under a 90:10 funding arrangement between the central and state governments, with Meghalaya contributing ₹4.8 crore. Spanning 53.41 square kilometers, the ISBT was inaugurated by Union Home Minister Amit Shah in July 2021 and became operational in 2022 under the supervision of the Meghalaya Transport Department.
