By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 13: The first phase redevelopment work of the Laitumkhrah Municipal Market is likely to be completed by the first week of March next year, Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar, who is also the in-charge of Urban Affairs Department, said.
Accompanied by Health Minister and local MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh and senior officials of the department and the Shillong Municipal Board, Dhar inspected the project site on Wednesday and expressed satisfaction with the progress of work. He said once the first phase of work is completed, the work for the second phase will begin.
Dhar said the project entails a total cost of Rs 38 crore.
According to the detailed project report (DPR), the market will have 183 stalls along with a parking space to accommodate around 100 vehicles, he added.
The local MLA, Ampareen Lyngdoh, expressed happiness that Dhar went to inspect the project. She said the deadline to complete Phase 1 of the project is March 2024.
“We are actually on time. The progress is very satisfactory,” she said.
She added that they will have to discuss certain issues which need to be resolved before starting Phase II. She said they will need to put in place a proper drainage system and fencing for the safety and security of the market.
The East Shillong MLA said they will also ensure that the people of Laitumkhrah benefit in terms of employment from this market.
“We will try to work out putting in place a revenue-sharing programme for the benefit of Laitumkhrah Dorbar Shnong Pyllun. We can set up a community facility for the Dorbar Shnong,” she said.
Lyngdoh also said that they have a plan to relocate the roadside hawkers. According to her, they have maintained a proper register and records of the roadside hawkers.
“We should not rush to remove the roadside vendors until a proper plan to relocate them is put in place. We will also put in place proper utility services, like toilet and drinking water facilities, for the vendors,” she added.
The work for the market’s redevelopment, which is a component of the Shillong Smart City Project, started in August 2020. By September this year, it made 64% physical progress and 54.35% financial progress.
The project is a joint venture of Collinstar Sawkmie and Shrolenson Marbaniang.
In sharp contrast, the Iawmusiang Market project in Jowai, West Jaintia Hills, seems to be heading nowhere. Nobody in the state government has any clue as to when this market will be completed.
Jowai MLA Wailadmiki Shylla told reporters on Wednesday that the state government does not expect any more funds from the Centre and hence, it wants to construct the market on its own.
“Before we prepare the new estimate, we had to find out whether or not the existing under-construction building is strong, so we asked the IIT Guwahati to conduct an assessment,” Shylla said.
He said the IIT Guwahati has already submitted its report and it is being examined by the PWD. The department is in the final stages of preparing the estimates so tender can be floated, he added.
Asked about funding, he said Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has assured that funds for the project would be managed.
Years ago, before the government’s plans to upgrade the market, everything was well within the market with both commuters and shopkeepers doing their job smoothly in the traditional market where stalls were constructed with wooden planks and tin sheets. The footpaths were stone-paved.
Agricultural produce were sold and purchased by people from within and outside Jaintia Hills. However, things changed drastically when the government initiated the move to construct a new modern market there. It has not seen the light of day even after two decades now.
The project, worth nearly Rs 19 crore, was sponsored by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER).
The proposal for redevelopment of the market was accorded administrative approval in July 2006 and Rs 20.09 crore was sanctioned by the DoNER Ministry, of which the first installment of Rs 6.33 crore was released on February 10, 2009.
The project was cleared under the Non-Lapsable Central Pool of Resources Scheme and it later encountered a temporary setback due to changes made in the drawings and DPR.
The state government requires around Rs 12-14 crore to complete the project. The Iawmusiang market has existed since the days of the erstwhile Jaintia Kingdom.