By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, July 15: The Meghalaya government has earned a reputation for announcing ambitious infrastructure projects, but a concerning trend of cancellations and delays troubles the state. Recently, the government decided to cancel the Smart Road projects in Shillong, despite significant progress being made on one of the roads in the Lachumiere area over the past couple of years.
The Smart Road initiative, part of the broader Shillong Smart City project, was intended to modernise multiple locations across the city. However, after months of planning and initial construction efforts, the government deemed the project unfeasible and decided to terminate it.
This is not an isolated incident. The government had previously announced the construction of world-class skywalks in Shillong, with specific timelines for the first skywalk from Barik to Police Bazar. Despite the initial enthusiasm, the project was put on hold due to concerns that it would exacerbate traffic congestion during construction. The skywalk was projected to cost Rs 25 crore and aimed to improve pedestrian movement in the city.
Additionally, two years ago, the state government announced a plan to introduce a fleet of 100 electric buses for public transport in Shillong, with Rs 20 crore allocated for the initiative. However, this project remains unfulfilled, with no visible progress since the announcement.
Similarly, the proposal to launch e-buggies at major tourist destinations across the state has seen little to no implementation, with these buggies remaining largely absent from the advertised locations.
These repeated instances of project cancellations and delays have perhaps raised concerns among the public about the government’s ability to deliver on its promises and effectively manage large-scale infrastructure developments.
