SHILLONG: A United Democratic Party (UDP) delegation along with a group of Rangbah Shnongs on Monday met Chief Minister, Conrad Sangma to express their opposition to the state government’s move to construct a shopping mall at Barik PWD complex.
During the meeting, UDP chief advisor, Bindo M. Lanong suggested that the particular place should be further decongested instead of setting up a shopping mall, which would aggravate matters.
“We want to solve the multiple problems which the people of the city are facing,” Lanong said.
The party and the Rangbah Shnongs of the nearby localities suggested that a few portions of the place should be parted from all sides to widen the road and help decongest the area.
Stating that many vehicles, including ambulances, enter the premises of Shillong Civil Hospital every day, he said that the government should ensure that there was no noise pollution as the area was surrounded by government offices and hospitals.
“The government can have a shopping mall somewhere else and we don’t have a problem,” Lanong said.
The chief minister, in reply, said that the development work which the government wanted to do for Shillong city has multiple objectives.
“It is not about just having a commercial property but we are also looking at the aspects of decongestion, parking logistics, beautification, creating iconic structures and also ensuring some commercial aspects or else the variability of the project will not be there,” Sangma said.
It may be mentioned that the iconic PWD complex at Barik point, which was almost being remodelled into an eco-friendly heritage site, was abruptly altered and a prototype of Delhi’s Saket Mall is being contemplated.
However, many politicians, environment groups, pressure groups and even Rangbah Shnongs have vehemently opposed the government’s move.
In November last year, the state government had called for tenders for the heritage spot at Barik through competitive bidding where three firms with the best concept and planning would win a monetary award.
