SHILLONG, Aug 14: Shillong is all geared up to celebrate Independence Day amidst tight security on Friday.
Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma will lead the celebrations by unfurling the national flag and taking the salute at the ceremonial parade in Polo, while the Cabinet ministers will attend the celebrations in different districts.
Security has been beefed up across the state, with police personnel seen conducting checks in different parts of the capital city.
The deputy commissioners and superintendents of police have assured the government of an incident-free Independence Day celebration.
Apart from Polo, the national flag will be unfurled at different government offices and localities.
The state and central government offices in the capital have been illuminated for the occasion.
Officials said that the Raj Bhavan will be kept open in the evening for the general public. A musical evening was held in Police Bazar on Friday evening, which was attended by the Chief Minister.
The state government has aligned this year’s Independence Day celebrations with the formal declaration of Khyndai Lad as a pedestrian-only zone, marking what officials describe as a symbolic step towards giving citizens “freedom to walk and breathe” in the heart of Shillong.
Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh, speaking on Thursday, said the occasion was unprecedented. “We are celebrating Independence Day to give our pedestrians their much-deserved freedom to walk and breathe the fresh air freely,” he stated.
He was responding to questions about the elaborate preparations at Khyndai Lad for the national celebration.
The stretch, popularly known as Police Bazar, has been transformed for the occasion and draped in the tricolour, a canopy in saffron, white, and green arches over the market passage, offering both shade and a festive ambience as crowds stroll through the car-free zone.
Shops and stalls along the route have joined in the spirit, with flags, buntings and patriotic motifs adding to the atmosphere.
The pedestrianisation of Khyndai Lad aims to ease congestion, improve air quality, and enhance the shopping and tourist experience. Officials have indicated that the move will create space for cultural performances, street art, and other public activities that can draw both residents and visitors to the city centre.
For many, the timing of the declaration has added symbolic weight to the Independence Day celebrations, merging the commemoration of national freedom with the promise of a more walkable and people-friendly Shillong.
