Shillong, May 22 (IANS) Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Friday laid the foundation stones for more than Rs 150 crore worth of urban infrastructure projects in Tura, aimed at transforming the town into a modern commercial, cultural and tourism hub ahead of the 39th National Games in 2027.

The projects include redevelopment of the Najing Bazar area, construction of a multi-level car parking and cinema complex at Dakopgre, and refurbishment of the SMELC building along with an Art and Culture Promenade, museum spaces, a CM Youth Centre and an Active Ageing Centre.

Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Sangma said the state government was committed to making governance more citizen-centric through the CM Connect initiative and digital service delivery systems.

“Every citizen should be able to connect directly with the government. The 1971 helpline is a complaint registration and grievance redressal system where grievances are monitored in real time until resolution,” he added.

The Chief Minister also announced that CM Connect Offices would be established in all 56 blocks of the state to decentralise citizen services and reduce dependence on district headquarters

Highlighting the urban transformation plans for Tura, Chief Minister Sangma said the Najing Bazar Redevelopment Project, sanctioned at Rs 60.76 crore, would include a commercial complex, parking facilities, hotel accommodation, banquet hall, nearly 200 shops and expanded vendor infrastructure.

The Rs 51.21 crore Dakopgre multi-level parking and cinema complex will provide parking for around 200 vehicles along with three cinema halls, gaming zones and food courts to boost local economic activity.

He said the state government was also focusing on urban cleanliness and safety through locality grading systems, installation of 552 LED smart streetlights at a cost of Rs 6.51 crore, and deployment of nearly 500 CCTV cameras integrated with command and control systems.

Chief Minister Sangma also added that the urban interventions are aligned with preparations for the National Games 2027 and are aimed at improving tourism, mobility and civic amenities while preserving Garo cultural identity.

During the programme, the Chief Minister distributed cheques under the Chief Minister Artists Engagement Scheme and launched the Tura Municipal Board mobile application for improved civic service delivery.

The event was attended by Garo Hills Autonomous District Council members, officials, local body representatives, artists and community leaders.

–IANS

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