Editor,
A flyover is to ease the traffic congestion connecting one road to another bypassing the congested areas through a bridge and sub-bridges intersecting parallel roads. A flyover from Rap’s Mansion to Sweepers lane in Iew Mawlong (Mawlonghat) is one of the proposed projects of the Urban Development/Affairs Department, Govt. of Meghalaya during 2006. Implementing the project involved 8 acres land of the Cantonment area near Lady Keane College. The then Minister of Urban Development, Paul Lyngdoh met the Defence Minister, Govt. of India in August, 2006 at New Delhi in which I accompanied as Secretary, Govt. of Meghalaya. The Union Minister stressed on the stringent law and rule of the Defence Ministry that land for the Flyover Project can be considered provided that it can be exchanged with another land of equal monetary value which sounds impossible. However, with the intervention of the then Union Defence Minister, Anthony, the Ministry agreed in principle that land of eight acres will be released to the State Government by an exchange of certain acres of land along the stretch of Umiam lake from Lad Umsaw to junction of Ferrando Home of Disabled, Umbir for Army Water Sports Complex. As Secretary, Urban Affairs and Chairman, Search Committee for required land in exchange along with the then Director, Urban as Secretary and the high officials of the 101 Area of the Army, Urban Affairs Directorate, an inspection was conducted and found agreeable by both sides. The team recommended to the State Government for necessary consultation and approval with the then Meghalaya State Electricity Board. It was agreed upon that in the said Water Sports Complex, strict maintenance of cleanliness in and around the area of the Umiam lake was to be followed, with no staff habitation except two or three security guards and an office (non-residential) near the lake. With the Defence land to be made available to the State Government, required land for the project can be acquired by an acquisition under the provisions of Land Acquisition Act in the interest of the public. As per law, illegal structures in the Sweepers Lane including shops and establishment may be dismantled and attached for public purpose. All such activities in the area are operating without permissions and licenses which are supposed to be renewed from year to year.
Pa‘iem (L) Jor Manik Syiem in his book “Ka Jingiathuh Khana Pateng shaphang ki Syiem jong ka Hima Mylliem (1830-1960)” wrote that on the market day of Mawlong, the original Iew Mawlong (Mawlonghat) of the Shillong Municipality Board (SMB) was located in the present premises of the Shillong Pine Mount School. In 1913, the British Government requested the Syiem of Hima Mylliem, Syiem Ron Singh to allot a land in Iewduh for shifting the Iew Mawlong of the SMB. Syiem Ron Singh allotted a land below Iewduh for the Iew Mawlong. The Municipality Board as a gesture of gratitude sanctioned Rs. 8000 to Hima Mylliem for development of Iewduh. The agreement of handing over to SMB was signed between the British Government, Syiem Ron Singh of Hima Mylliem and the Municipality Board in the year 1913-14. The agreement was again signed in 1954 between the Assam Government, the Municipal Board and the Syiem of Hima Mylliem. In those days there was a lane from Iewduh to GS Road, hence Sweepers’ lane.
In 2007, employees of the Shillong Municipality Board were asked to shift to their quarters constructed in European Ward, Bishop Cotton Road. Almost all of them were ready to shift but requested for completion of water supply and proper electrification including some minor repairs.
The proposed composite flyover with traffic distribution included a sub-roadway leading to Umshyrpi and Them Bejoy. The MDA Government may revive the Project or a new project by constructing a Shopping Mall-cum-Multi storied Parking lot in The Them Iew Mawlong Sweepers Lane and turn it into a strictly non-residential space in the interest of the people of Meghalaya and the Tourism Industry.
Yours etc.,
W.L. Lyngdoh
Shillong-6
United in disunited
Editor,
The theory of having all regional parties united under one banner or brand has been floating every time before an election happens and this same ideological theory of politicking continues once in five years. What prevents the regional parties from putting up a unified stand under one banner is because of egoism, and a self-centered approach and ideological differences. This is the stumbling block to their unity. Therefore, if we look at the current bye-election in one constituency we have a set of regional parties supporting the NPP and in another we have two regional parties cutting to size the NPP and supporting one another. This style of politics neglects the core issues like unemployment, inflation, education, health, environment etc. and a host of issues which none of the parties mention. So as long as regional parties do not speak on the same wavelength it will be a tight rope walk towards 2023 and people aren’t fools.
Yours etc..
Dominic Stadlin Wankhar,
Via email