Shillong, May 29: The state government is planning to set up a new police station and a fire station near the Umshyrpi four-lane bridge, Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong informed on Friday after a joint inspection of the proposed sites.
He also disclosed plans for setting up a Tourist Information Centre and a community office for Upper Shillong headmen.
“The inspection today was only to identify the location,” Tynsong said after inspecting a vacant space near the Umshyrpi bridge.
Informing that senior police officers, who accompanied him, backed the site, he said, “They said this place is very feasible and convenient for setting up these two stations.”
Informing about the second plot, Tynsong said, “We thought of having a Tourist Information Centre there. Also, time and again the Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong of Upper Shillong area have requested the government to provide at least 2000-3000 square feet of land for their office as well as a community hall.”
Meanwhile, Tynsong pointed out that the four-lane section between Umshyrpi bridge and 7th Mile to Umshyrpi bridge has been reduced from 45-60 minutes to “maybe 6-7 minutes”.
“The completion of this four-lane is a blessing for the state, for the people, for travellers going to and out of Shillong through this road. We don’t have much problem waiting on the road now,” he added.
Finishing works are still pending, he noted. “The finishing touch has to be done by the company. Very soon the Chief Engineer, National Highways, along with his team, the Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong, the BDO of Mylliem block, and the company will have a joint inspection,” Tynsong said.
He said the tourism infrastructure would cater to visitors heading to multiple destinations.
“In the next few days, I will call a meeting with the Tourism department to work out how we will build this infrastructure to facilitate tourists who want to travel across different parts of our state — towards Dawki, towards Sohra, or even to Nongstoin or Garo Hills through this area,” he said.
“I see this place as extremely necessary so we can use it for infrastructure related to the overall development and welfare of the people of our state,” he added.
On the proximity to defence land, Tynsong said the state would engage military authorities. “The place lies adjacent to defence land. We have a relationship with the Government of India and we are close with defence authorities,” he said.
“We got this land for the four-lane through the joint effort of the Defence Ministry, the state government and the Ministry of Road Transport,” he said.
“Personally, I will take this up to ensure our proposals to set up these infrastructures in these two locations proceed smoothly,” he added.
