By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 16: The construction of an upscale skywalk from Barik Point to Khyndai Lad was announced by the state government earlier this year with the goal of encouraging people to walk, which will reduce traffic. However, like countless other projects, this one has also been placed on hold.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma announced on Thursday that the project was in the implementation phase, but he also cautioned that once construction begins, there would be severe traffic congestion.
As a result, the government has chosen to postpone the project until more plans for clearing the area’s traffic come up.
The government had earmarked Rs 25 crore to construct the skywalk to connect Barik Point with Khyndai Lad and enhance pedestrian traffic. In support of the decision to halt the project, the CM said that while plans have been made for some additional parking spaces in the neighbourhood, work on a new parking lot close to Wards Lake has already begun and is expected to be finished by January.
While acknowledging that there have been many attempts to address traffic congestion, he went on to say that the administration is trying to find small fixes in an effort to improve the situation.
He said that the government is also considering the concept of establishing special waiting areas for buses and taxis, pointing out that many of the cars that are currently parked on the road will be removed once the parking lots are built.
He stated that the government is in favour of providing a fleet of buses for its employees and mentioned that Meghalaya has recently received approval for the purchase of about 50 electric buses.
Furthermore, plans are being developed to move the administration to New Shillong Township, and the government is keen to see that the work for the administrative setup in NST begins by April next year.