By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Dec 22: After a noticeable delay, the Christmas spirit has at last descended on Shillong, transforming the city with glowing decorative lights and filling the streets with seasonal joy.
At the bustling heart of the city, Police Bazar, families—young and old—are fully embracing the festive atmosphere. Residents and tourists alike pause to capture selfies and videos against the backdrop of brightly illuminated streets.
The newly-lit Khyndai Lad has become a major draw, attracting large crowds of locals and visitors. Amid the celebrations, the city’s less fortunate are also making the most of the season, selling socks and fruits or entertaining passersby with music and song in exchange for appreciation and small donations.
Other areas have joined in the festivities: Laitumkhrah is adorned with decorative lights, while the Cathedral Church stands out with its beautiful illumination, enhancing Shillong’s Christmas charm.
Commercial centres like Police Bazar, Laitumkhrah, and Iewduh are experiencing a surge in shoppers as people flock to markets for last-minute Christmas preparations.
However, many residents have voiced disappointment over the late installation of decorations this year, urging authorities to ensure lights are put up at the start of December.
“The lights in Police Bazar were only fully installed over the weekend, just five or six days before Christmas,” one resident noted. “Tourists visiting in early December deserve to see Shillong at its festive best.”
Another suggested that, given the delay, the decorations should remain in place until January so more visitors can experience the city’s unique Christmas celebrations.
The festive rush has also led to heavy traffic congestion across Shillong. To bypass long jams, many residents and tourists are turning to bike taxi services like Rapido for quicker travel.
Adding to the festive spirit, the Meghalaya government has already front-loaded a massive financial outlay, unlocking salaries, pensions, wages, and pending bills in a single coordinated release aimed at easing pressure on households and accelerating festive activity across the state.
The advance disbursement covers one full month’s salary and pension for approximately 50,000 government employees and more than 30,000 pensioners. Casual and contractual workers across departments have also been included in the advance payment cycle.
The festive financial push also extended to beneficiary-centric schemes. An amount of Rs 23 crore has been transferred through Direct Benefit Transfer to 92,051 beneficiaries under the Focus+ scheme.
