SHILLONG: What was only a noise in the media so far, it’s now become official. The Barik PWD complex is going to be converted into a shopping mall, if the cabinet clears the project contours in principle.
Deputy Chief Minister, Prestone Tynsong on Tuesday confirmed that there was indeed a move by the Urban Affairs department to construct a shopping mall at Barik Point.
Coming clear on the plan, Tynsong said that the state government was planning to go for, what he called, an “inclusive shopping mall” where youths and young children would be able to hang out.
Tynsong clarified, “We are not talking about the shopping mall like the one at MUDA. The Barik shopping mall project will be first of its kind in the state. We would like to have a standard shopping mall,” with varied attractions for the people at large.
Giving an outline of the plans, he said provisions would be made for facilities like musical night space for youths, public space and special space for the entertainment of the kids and people who would visit the place and would also be able to do their shopping at the same time.
The Urban Affairs department would present a concept note on the project before the Cabinet for examination and taking the final call in this regard.
Rebutting the opposition to the proposal on the ground that Shillong would lose its green charm if the mall was built in the heart of the town, he said, “If this argument is about protecting the greenery in Shillong city, then where is the space? If we are speaking about promotion of a green city then it should be in the new Shillong Township. We need to ensure that some percentage of green space should be in place all along the new Shillong Township,” the Deputy Chief Minister argued.
He said that if people talks about the promoting greenery in the old Shillong then where are the space. “This particular area at Barik Point is being surrounded by the roads. I am not sure that you will be able to promote greenery in this place.”
Apparently to neutralise the proponents of a green city, he disclosed that the Lady Hydari Park, which is close to Barik complex, will be converted into an exclusive green park where people will be able to go for morning or evening walk.” To facilitate that, the existing mini-zoo at Hydari Park would shifted to the state zoo in Ri Bhoi district, he said.
When reminded that the proposal to construct the new Assembly building at “Tara Ghar” bungalow overlooking Wards Lake had to be abandoned after vociferous opposition from vocal section of citizens who had demanded that the British-time building be declared as a heritage site, Tynsong said that “the land at Barik Point cannot be compared to the site of Tara Ghar which was being maintained with all foliage intact”.
His case is that Barik Complex was already denuded of forest and therefore the comparison was an oddity.
It may be recalled that the state had originally planned to go for an eco-park in the area. Some town planners and architects had submitted their concepts. A particular concept was short listed and before the project could make further progress, there was a sudden change of thoughts and Delhi’s Saket-type mall replaced the original idea.
