By Our Reporter
Shillong: There is a question mark over the target completion date of the ongoing Khyndai Lad beautification project, with the PWD and the Urban Affairs department announcing two separate deadlines for the same.
In one of the starred questions which was not taken up in the ongoing Budget session, PWD Minister HDR Lyngdoh, in his reply to a question raised by Manas Chaudhuri (IND) had stated that the Government has targeted to complete the project within two years of its launch.
“We would target to complete the project within a period of 2 years from the day the project was launched in July 27 last year,” Lyngdoh had stated.
However, the PWD Minister’s statement contradicts an earlier announcement by Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh setting October as the deadline for the completion of the beautification project.
In fact, the Government had initially targeted to complete the project before the commencement of the Monsoon but the target was later revised to October following a review meeting between the PWD and the Urban Affairs department.
Now questions are being raised over the government’s surreptitious decision to set a new target date of mid-2013, despite knowing that pedestrians are having a tough time negotiating the thoroughfare at Khyndai Lad.
To this, the PWD Minister stated that steps are being taken to carry out the work expeditiously so as to complete it within the stipulated deadline.
Lyngdoh also informed that the existing area from Khyndai Lad up to Umsohsun junction and Thana Road has been identified for beautification and improvement at an estimated budget of Rs 2.8 crore.
