STAFF CORRESPONDENT
SHILLONG: Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong has said that the redevelopment of the Barik Point is at its conceptualisation stage. The information came amidst the bitter opposition to the government plan to create a "Mall alongside with a park".
Informing this during the Question Hour on Thursday, Tynsong said that the government would like to take the opinions of all inter-related departments before agreeing on the structure to be constructed at Barik Point. "We are at the conceptualisation stage because the process is on," Tynsong told the House during the Question Hour.
He also said that last year, the Urban Affairs Department had floated a "design competition where five firms participated and ultimately one of them was selected". The State government had invited firms to take part in a competition to display their architectural designs for the construction of the proposed iconic structure at Barik Point under the Smart City Mission. Altogether five firms which include the Department of Architecture, Science and Technology NEHU, Design Cell Faws Design Shillong, Flying Elephant Studio Project, Bangalore, M/s Kshestra, Hyderabad and Visio Architecture Ltd Port Louis, Mauritius, participated in the competition.
Of the five firms, a design prepared by the Flying Elephant Studio Project, Bangalore was selected. The State government had already spent Rs 12 lakh for the purpose.
East Shillong legislator Ampareen Lyngdoh urged the government to include her and South Shillong MLA, Sanbor Shullai in the consultation panel because this area falls within the heart of the city. Congress MLA Zenith Sangma also wanted that legislators from the Garo Hills region should be consulted in the matter since Shillong — as the capital of the State — belongs to everyone. Meanwhile, Congress MLA from Nongthymmai, Charles Pyngrope said that the idea of a shopping mall has become redundant. According to him, shopping malls all over the country are closing down due to online shopping. "Consider a design to avoid a mall and use the space for something better," said Pyngrope.