HT Digtal
SHILLONG, APR 15: Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar, who also holds the Urban Affairs portfolio, announced on Monday that Shillong’s Smart City initiatives are progressing well, with several key projects nearing completion.
Speaking to reporters, Dhar expressed satisfaction over the pace of the ongoing work and highlighted the government’s consistent monitoring efforts. “We conduct regular reviews, and all the projects are advancing smoothly,” he said, reflecting confidence in the city’s development trajectory under the Smart City Mission.
Related Posts:
One of the major highlights of his update was the Polo shopping mall project, which he said has reached 98 percent completion. Additionally, Dhar reported significant headway in the development of parking facilities across the city — a critical aspect of easing Shillong’s chronic traffic congestion.
Looking ahead, the Deputy Chief Minister noted that while some projects might extend into 2026, the government is hopeful of achieving full completion by mid-2026 at the latest. “If not by 2025, we expect the project to be fully completed by mid-2026,” he stated.
Dhar also revealed that the state government is now awaiting approval for the rollout of the second phase of the Smart City Mission, which is expected to further enhance urban infrastructure and service delivery in Shillong.
The Smart Cities Mission was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 25, 2015, with the aim of modernizing urban areas through advanced infrastructure, sustainable living practices, and technology-driven governance. Shillong became the 100th and final city to join the mission on July 4, 2018.
Despite joining the initiative later than other cities, Shillong has shown commendable progress and is steadily working to meet the goals of the mission.
