By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 28: Shillong still is not “smart” enough although it was selected as the 100th Smart City more than six years ago, on July 4, 2018.
The state government had plans to convert the city’s 17 roads into smart roads at a cost of Rs 36 crore but eventually cancelled the projects citing non-feasibility.
One of them is the abandoned smart road at Lower Lachaumiere – from the Passport office to the MPSC office. The road is still causing inconveniences to people including the students of All Saints’ School.
Out of the 14 projects listed as ongoing, the status of some have been marked as completed. They are Waste Water Nallah Treatment, Supply & Installation of Open-Air Gyms (Outdoor), improvement of walkways in and around Laitumkhrah area, improvement of drainage system in Laban area, improvement of natural storm water drains of Wahdasoi, Mawbah and Bishop Falls, and the setting up of Solid Waste Management (engineering, supply, installation of segregated waste disposal plant).
The status of some other ongoing projects till September-end was available.
The projects include the construction of a commercial complex at Polo – the financial and physical progresses of which were 87.08% and 95% respectively. As regards the Office-Cum-Automated Multi-Level Car Park at Mawkhar, its financial progress was 17.73% while physical progress was 30%.
Another project is the re-development of the Municipal Market at Laitumkhrah. Its financial and physical progresses were 87.80% and 95% respectively.
The government is constructing rain water harvesting system at various locations. The financial progress of the project was 92% and physical progress was 95%.
Similarly, a project involving the construction of Shillong Business-cum-Tourism had 38.89% financial progress and 40% physical progress, the retrofitting and upgrading of 3 Multilevel Car Park project had a financial progress of 13.63%, physical progress of 22% while the Mechanised Multi Level Car Park at Motphran had financial progress of 16.66% and physical progress of 22%. The expected date of completion of all these projects is March 31, 2025.
With 60.99% financial progress and 85% physical progress, the Integrated Command and Control Centre is set to miss its expected date of completion which is October 31, 2024.
The grid connected Roof Top Solar Photo-Voltaic System is also set to miss its November 30 deadline. Its financial and physical progresses were 23.01% and 55% respectively.
