Shillong July 2: The Inter-State Bus Terminus (ISBT) at Mawlai Mawïong is expected to become functional by December this year after construction of the project took nearly five years since September 2014.

Transport Minister, Sniawbhalang Dhar gave this assurance after he inspected the ISBT on Tuesday. He was accompanied by Mawlai MLA, P.T. Sawkmie, and member of Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council, Teiborlang Pathaw and officials of the transport department and PWD.

The project was approved in 2013 by the DoNER ministry through the North Eastern Council at Rs 48.31 crore.

The ISBT is being built over a plot 53041.74 square meters at Mawlai Mawïong, and the timeline given to complete the project was September 2017.

Works for the project commenced on September 4, 2014.

Dhar told reporters that most of the major works have been completed, and the bus terminus has been targeted to make it functional this December before Christmas.

According to Dhar, the delay to complete the project was due to some issues related to fund flow as there was a delay in the release of funds by the NEC.

The ISBT was designed to cater to the needs of passengers coming from the other parts of North Eastern region which will also help in reducing congestion in Shillong city.

The ISBT will have parking facilities for big buses coming from other states of the Northeast, besides stalls.