SHILLONG: Khyndailad, one of the buzzing areas in the city, drowns in darkness after sunset as the Rs 5.42-crore fountain and light has become non-functional.
The sequencing fountain and lights fitted on a 20-m pole was part of the beatification of the rotary at the cost of Rs 5.42 crore. It was inaugurated on May 5, 2005.
But it has been years since the light at Khyndailad functioned to its full capacity and only one light was functioning for quite some time.
Though small lights on the road divider in Police Bazar are functioning normally, the light at the junction has stopped working.
There were allegations that the beautification was done at a cost of Rs 3.09 crore and not Rs 5.42 crore as claimed by the government.
Shopkeepers in Police Bazar say it has been more than two weeks since the light stopped functioning and neither the Shillong Municipal Board nor MeECL seem to be interested in repairing it.
Residents recall that a decade ago the decorative lights in the fountain were seen adding beauty to the city centre but the glimmer has died away.
However, Khyndailad is not the only place in the city that is living in the dark. There are many areas in the city capital town which remain dark after sunset.
For instance, from Jhalupara till Anjalee petrol pump, there is one or two functional lights and the rest is dark.
Taking a tough stand on poor street lighting in the capital city and its surrounding areas, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of the State Assembly in July this year had directed the CEO of the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB),
E Kharmalki and the CMD of MeECL, PS Thangkhiew, will hold a review meeting to find a solution to the problem.
In this regard the officials of the power department had assured the PAC that in the next 2-3 months there will be improvement in the delivery of proper street lighting to the people.
Attempts were made to contact officials of MeECL as well as the civic body to board their response but they could not be contacted.
