SHILLONG, March 9: The state government’s proposal to construct a shopping mall at Barik seems to have been shelved for now, as was indicated by Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong.
“We will not talk about the Barik re-development or beautification project because right now we have more important projects to be undertaken in Shillong under the Smart City project,” Tynsong said while reacting to a query on the redevelopment of the Barik PWD complex.
In November last year, the state government had called for competitive bidding to redevelop the PWD complex announcing monetary reward for the best concept and planning. The original idea of remodeling the PWD complex into an eco-friendly heritage site was altered and the government showed keen interest in constructing a shopping complex akin to Delhi’s Saket Mall.
However, the move was vehemently opposed by politicians, environment groups, pressure groups and even headmen.
