Shillong, Feb 23: East Shillong MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh today called for urgent reforms and infrastructure upgrades across key sectors, even as she appreciated several initiatives highlighted in the Governor’s address during the ongoing Budget Session of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly.
Participating in the debate, Lyngdoh, of the ruling National People’s Party (NPP), welcomed the government’s efforts to expand and strengthen the state police force, while stressing that welfare measures for personnel must go hand in hand with expansion. She urged the police department to undertake a comprehensive audit of its properties and invest in proper housing for its personnel.
Some examples of police accommodation that need upgrades, according to her, include quarters at Sardar Police Complex, 1st MLP Battalion campus and Laitumkhrah Police Station complex. The latter were not covered under renovation work sanctioned in 2005-06 under then Home Minister RG Lyngdoh, her late brother.
She further pointed out the need to reconstruct and review the Traffic Branch infrastructure at Laitumkhrah Police Station, noting that space constraints have forced vehicles to be parked along the roadside. Rynjah Police Station, she added, continues to function from rented premises and requires urgent attention.
On governance reforms, she appreciated people-centric digital initiatives such as CM Connect. However, she urged the Chief Minister to consider a dedicated grievance redressal platform for Shillong residents similar to those available in rural areas. She also called for regular maintenance of the Meghalaya One Portal, particularly to address delays faced by urban applicants.
In the power sector, she expressed concern over poorly maintained solar lamps installed across Shillong, remarking that they have become “nobody’s child” due to a lack of upkeep. Drawing attention to the proliferation of tangled overhead cables across the city, she warned that unchecked congestion has led to accidents and called for proper regulation and streamlining of cable infrastructure. She also stressed the need for adequate funding to upgrade aging power grids and substations in Shillong and Tura.
Lyngdoh noted that the issue of hawkers in Laitumkhrah remains unresolved due to the non-identification of suitable relocation sites. She said residents are awaiting administrative decisions to expedite and bring closure to the long-pending matter.
Other issues raised by her include problems in water supply, demolition of sports infrastructure and need to protect water bodies in the Shillong catchment areas.
