By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Feb 10: Projects are announced in Meghalaya but often they fail to progress beyond the stage of announcement.
The state government had earlier announced several projects, such as monorail, skywalk, shopping malls, unity parks and Wahumkhrah riverfront development project. They have remained stagnant on paper.
With much enthusiasm, the government recently announced the construction of a skywalk from Barik point till Police Bazar. The government has kept the project on hold citing traffic congestion in the area.
For the past few years, people have been hearing from ministers about the state government’s move to introduce electric buses in Shillong. Nothing has materialised on the ground. In contrast, the Assam government has rolled out some 200 of them in Guwahati.
The new Assembly building, being constructed on a government plot, has missed many deadlines. It is still not clear when the work will be completed.
The work for an Integrated Control Centre was started a few years ago but the cameras installed in several locations have stopped functioning. Even as poles have been erected in other areas for the installation of cameras, they are being misused by people.
At some places, people have drawn graffiti while at some other places, they put up advertisement banners and hoardings on the poles.
The work of Shillong Smart City project is also going on at a snail’s pace. The work for smart roads is visible only in Lachumiere area. There is no word from the government as to when the work will be carried out in other localities.
Under this project, the government was also supposed to improve the condition of junctions in Shillong. No work is visible in any area.
The high mast lights are not functioning at the Fire Brigade junction, which was improved a few years ago. Nobody seems to be bothered.
