Shillong: Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister and Minister in charge of Urban Affairs, Sniawbhalang Dhar, has assured that Shillong will see a new Police Bazar in a year’s time.
The announcement came as the construction of the Shillong Business-cum-Tourism Centre, located at the former MTC building premises, is scheduled to be completed within the next year.
“This is one of the prime projects in Shillong, and people will see a new Police Bazar in one year,” Dhar promised.
The project, being implemented under the Shillong Smart City initiative, comes at a cost of Rs 216 crore. However, Dhar mentioned that the government has not yet finalized the specific facilities to be included in the multi-complex. The decision on whether to establish a mall or a convention centre will be made after the building’s completion.
The complex is expected to accommodate 40-50 vehicles as per the Detailed Project Report (DPR), but Dhar is optimistic that the actual capacity will exceed this estimate.
He also stated that the government plans to lease out the property to entities capable of providing substantial revenue to the state. Dhar assured a transparent process for allotting the outlets or centres in the upcoming project, which is expected to be completed by March 31, 2025.
Meanwhile, Dhar informed that commercial market complex projects in Laitumkhrah and Polo are nearing completion, with inaugurations expected in June-July. However, he noted that other projects, like parking lots, would take additional time.
Addressing the delay in relocating hawkers from the Police Bazar area, Dhar emphasized that the government is committed to providing the hawkers with suitable locations, which has contributed to the prolonged process. “We are looking at 3-4 places and we will simply not throw them but give them a good place,” he said.
Dhar also highlighted that the government is consulting with stakeholders on the proper relocation of registered hawkers. Earlier, Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh had claimed that the Town Vending Committees were almost done with identifying the hawkers, with the allotment of stalls to be managed by the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB) within June.
The government aims to relocate over 200 hawkers in Khyndailad (Police Bazar) to the Meghalaya Urban Development Authority (MUDA) complex and other designated areas. While the relocation process has faced delays over the years, the number of hawkers has noticeably increased across the city, including areas like Shillong Civil Hospital, Laitumkhrah, Dhankheti, and the Fire Brigade junction.
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