SHILLONG: The state government has decided to create a prototype of “Dilli Haat” here as a means to boost tourism and create a one-stop shop for local handicrafts, artefacts and cuisine.
Arts and Culture Minister, AL Hek on Friday inspected the site at the Tribal Reserarch Institute at Mawlai along with other officials of the department, CRPF and Meghalaya police officials.
During the inspection, the meeting discussed on how the place can be re-developed with a public space as the space currently has CRPF barracks and other infrastructures.
Later, Hek said that the place was developed when the state was under Assam and it is a 12-acre area property. “So we have decided to write to the Director of Land Records to conduct a survey on how much land there belongs to which departments and agencies including the Arts and Culture department,” he said.
When asked if the CRPF camp would be relocated from the site, Hek said that camp can be accommodated during the re-development of the place with modern infrastructure.
“Dilli Haat” is a paid-entrance open-air food plaza and craft bazaar located in Delhi, run by Delhi Tourism and Transportation Development Corporation and unlike the traditional weekly market, the village market, Dilli Haat is permanent.
The 6 acres of land on which this complex is situated was salvaged as part of a reclamation project and transformed into a plaza. Extensive foundation work, small thatched roof cottages and kiosks give the plaza a village atmosphere.
Meanwhile, Hek also informed that the Shillong International Centre for Performing Arts and Culture (SICPAC) at New Shillong Township is coming up very well and 80 per cent of the civil work is completed.
“We are looking to commission the project within next year,” Hek said.
It may be mentioned that Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma recently met Union DoNER Minister Jitendra Singh and sought an additional sanction of Rs 23 crore from the Centre under the NLCPR component for infrastructure requirements of the project.