SHILLONG: There seems to be something amiss about the state government’s move for construction of a commercial complex at MTC building in Jail Road here.
Chief Minister Conrad Sangma about a month back had tweeted that PWD has been directed to issue the tender for the MTC Complex by first week of October. He had also instructed the department to ensure that work order for the project is issued by November besides ensuring that construction for the project will ensure by December this year. In reality, none of these happened so far.
However, when cross checked, officials from the Transport department said that the idea was to construct a building for the MTC, adding that the department and PWD were working on the primary details. “We are at the conceptualising stage right now and issuing of tenders would take some time,” officials said. ( The project which is likely to be implemented by PWD, seems to be inter-linked with the final decision of the government on the controversial Barik project. In case, commercial angle at Barik is dropped as is being suggested by many opinion makers, it is likely that MTC complex will turn completely into a shopping mall.
Officials of the PWD said that the proposed MTC Complex was supposed to be constructed at the old MTC building just below the old Kelvin Cinema Hall.
Sources also said that though nothing much was clear as to what will be the final shape of the project, it is said that the government had plans to come with an MTC Complex on the lines of MUDA complex which will have shops, food courts and other modern amenities that urban shopping complexes provide.
