SHILLONG, July 20: After years of construction delays at the city’s most iconic transit point, the Rs 216-crore Shillong Business-cum-Tourism Centre is finally entering its ‘final touch’ phase, promising to provide much-needed breathing room to a suffocating Police Bazar through its multi-level parking and integrated transit hub
Sources from the Urban Affairs department indicate the project is 99% complete, with contractors currently applying final touches. While a specific inauguration date is yet to be announced, the government is pushing for a near-term opening to dismantle the barricades that have restricted traffic flow at Khyndai Lad for five years.
The project’s most critical feature for local residents is the multi-level parking facility, designed to accommodate hundreds of vehicles and alleviate the chronic gridlock in the city’s commercial heart.
Beyond transit, the centre marks a strategic shift in how the government utilizes prime real estate. The building will house the offices of PRIME (Meghalaya’s Hub for Entrepreneurs) and the Meghalaya State Skill Development Society (MSSDS), effectively moving the state’s entrepreneurial and skill-development engine into the city centre.
The complex, implemented by Badri Rai and Company, also features a shopping complex for local brands, a tourism facilitation centre, and a curated food court. A prefabricated skywalk connecting two of the buildings serves as a primary architectural element.
Designed with modern infrastructure in mind, the centre includes elevators, escalators, and energy-efficient systems such as rainwater harvesting and improved ventilation. The facility will also feature a convention centre and halls dedicated to trade fairs, exhibitions, and cultural events.
