By Aafaque Hussain
SHILLONG: The much-hyped Khyndailad beautification project has gone kaput though a whopping amount of Rs. 1.60 crore was spent on the project.
The Meghalaya Government launched the Khyndailad beautification project on October 14, 2011 with much fanfare. The project included the beautification of Khyndailad, the heart of the city, and its adjoining areas and expansion of the roads in certain narrow stretches.
However, a visit to Khyndailad today reveals that things are as decrepit as they were prior to the beautification project.
Despite tall promises the Government has not been able to make the Khyndailad thoroughfare a pedestrian-only zone for reasons best known to the authorities concerned. Vehicles encroach on the pedestrian space in the busy thoroughfare on a regular basis at all times of the day. As a result the interlocked tiles have loosened up and given way at several places because of the weight of the vehicles. No one seems bothered that the tiles had begun to come off shortly after they were placed.
Large stretches of the tiled paths are occupied by unlicensed hawkers who litter the space without the corresponding duty of maintaining it and keeping it clean.
As per the RTI information provided to The Shillong Times, the total expenditure for the tile-laying project was Rs. 73.93 lakh which was implemented by M/s RGS Construction, Hunbon Kharpuli, JV Hapbok Lyngkhoi and Kynton Lynrah. The total tiled area is 3239.50 sq m.
The tiled pavement have now become a happy hunting ground for hundreds of hawkers who set up shop in the middle of the thoroughfare without any bit of concern for the pedestrians who, on most occasions, have to elbow their way through the busy path.
The two main motive behind the Khyndailad beautification project – making the Khyndailad thoroughfare a ‘pedestrian zone’ and making walking a pleasant affair with a path made up of coloured interlocking tiles with no hawkers all along the thoroughfare – have fallen flat on their faces.
Residents who have to jostle for space at Khyndailad daily have slammed the State Government for not being able to reign in adamant hawkers and businessmen who are effectively responsible in causing damages to the tiles. They observed that if the Government is unable to control people from bringing in their vehicles into the tiled thoroughfare, then the path should not have been tiled.
As per the RTI findings, the Public Works (Roads) Department is tasked with maintaining the project and it is the responsibility of the contractors to maintain and repair any faults in the project.
The RTI report adds that tiles are meant to take the weight of light vehicles but did not specify if MUDA has given permission for vehicles to ply in the area.