Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar has said that the state has gained ideas from Barcelona to implement the Shillong Smart City project.
The Smart City Expo World Congress (SCEWC), an international summit was held in Barcelona during the first week of November. The summit is a key meeting point for experts and leaders of the world’s most innovative cities, companies, research centers and international organisations where urban development and innovation and how to build a more sustainable and livable urban future are discussed.
Asked on his visit to Barcelona Dhar said, “It was a fruitful meeting. It was a really, really good and got lots of experience and idea from there. We inform them that smart city project is in full swing in our state… and maybe they are much more advanced than us, but we will be able to complete the project.”
Dhar said that he will visit all the ongoing projects before December 10.
A total of 17 projects are being undertaken under the Shillong Smart City, which the government aim to complete them by June next year.
Some of the projects under Smart City are the new Laitumkhrah market, new Polo market, multi-level parking, smart roads and others.
In July, Meghalaya was ranked as one of the 10 worst-performing states as far as the implementation of Smart City projects was concerned, though the state government batted this away by blaming a late start for the poor ranking.
Meanwhile, Dhar informed that two more parking lots were sanctioned near the Secretariat, which can accommodate around 400-500 vehicles.
The government is also looking to take many unutilised land from different departments so that necessary infrastructure like parking lots and others can be constructed in those locations, he added.
