‘Rs 200 cr on shopping centre exorbitant’

SHILLONG, Oct 22: Senior BJP leader AL Hek has castigated the MDA Government for contemplating to spend more than Rs 200 crore for building a mega shopping centre on the Meghalaya Transport Corporation premises in Jail Road.
The MTC shopping centre will be like the one at MUDA complex, housing shops and food stalls. Construction of the shopping centre is under way.
Speaking with media persons here on Saturday, Hek recalled that he had earlier questioned the government over its plans of spending more than Rs 200 crore for construction of infrastructure on a plot of land measuring less than 50,000 sq ft. “Since the government will have to follow the MUDA Building Bye-Laws, it will have less than one acre of land there,” he said.
According to Hek, the state government has prepared the estimate of around Rs 215 crore which is not only high but also exorbitant.
Hek advised the government to concentrate on reducing traffic jams instead of constructing shopping malls in the city which might add to the problem. “Traffic jams have become a major issue in everyone’s life and people are getting mentally affected because of congestion,” he said.