SHILLONG, June 19: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman arrived in Shillong on Friday to inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for projects worth over Rs 1,246 crore. As the state prepares for yet another round of ceremonies, many residents cannot help but glance at the Polo Shopping Mall — a Rs 100-crore monument to the habit of inaugurating projects before they actually function.
The irony is unmistakable.
On July 10 last year, Sitharaman herself inaugurated the much-hyped Polo Shopping Mall, hailing it as a landmark addition to Shillong’s urban landscape. Eleven months later, the ribbon has been cut, speeches delivered, and photographs taken — yet the mall remains closed to the public.
For many residents, the Polo Mall has come to symbolise a peculiar model of development: inaugurate first, make it work later.
Built under the Shillong Smart City Mission at a cost of Rs 100.33 crore, the six-storey complex offers 109 retail shops, eight office spaces, a gaming zone, food court, ample parking, lifts, escalators, CCTV, water treatment systems, and a building management system. The only thing missing is actual shops and customers.
The state government has repeatedly tried to find operators for the facility. Multiple tenders have been floated, but prospective bidders have stayed away, citing high rents. A fresh tender was recently issued in the hope that someone will finally take over the mall, which is nearing its first anniversary without a single day of normal operations.
The project was not short on ambition. The foundation stone was laid in October 2020 and the facility was completed in December 2024. Spread across 1.70 lakh square feet, it was envisioned as Shillong’s premier retail destination. Instead, it stands as an expensive reminder that cutting a ribbon is far easier than running a business.
As the Finance Minister inaugurates fresh projects worth crores, citizens are left hoping that these new initiatives will move beyond ceremonial plaques and photo opportunities.
