Shillong, Apr 21: It stands there new and gleaming but already with a sad and neglected air about it. The Polo Commercial Complex, inaugurated last year to great fanfare by the Union Finance Minister, is still largely empty nearly a year on.
With businesses and entrepreneurs balking at high rents, the building is an empty shell and no one is keen to take on the running of the place. The Meghalaya government is now considering whether to lower the base bidding price in order to tempt bidders.
Built at a cost of more than Rs 100 crore, the modern new mall sits rather incongruously in one of the shabbiest parts of Shillong – a hub of anti-social activities and criminal behaviour, prone to flooding and home to dilapidated shanties.
Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar, who holds the Urban Affairs portfolio, told reporters today that the authorities had issued tender notices several times but received no response. As a result, the government now plans to reissue the tender with a revised, more competitive rate.
The complex currently remains under the care of the Shillong Municipal Board and operations have been kept on hold until a suitable third party is finalised through the tendering process.
Maintaining that the system remains fair, he said the contract will be awarded to the highest bidder through a transparent process.
He also noted that if the revised pricing still fails to generate interest, the government may explore alternative methods to operationalise the market, keeping in mind the interests of local residents.
