Shillong: Relocating 342 families from Them Iew Mawlong is still stuck in bureaucratic limbo. It has been six years since the 2018 riots tore through the city. The Meghalaya government currently waits for the Union Ministry of Defence to sign off on a land transfer near the Anjalee parking lot.
Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar expects a government review by the end of July. Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has pushed the issue directly with the Union Defence Minister, but the state has received no formal response. Progress remains non-existent.
Dhar hinted that officials might dump the current strategy. "If Plan A is not working, we may go with Plan B," he said. He did not share what that alternative looks like or if it requires a different plot of land.
A High-Level Committee ordered the move after the 2018 unrest brought Shillong to a standstill. Since then, the proposal has drifted through endless negotiations between state and central authorities. Meanwhile, Dhar claims the National People's Party is gaining ground ahead of the upcoming by-election for the Shillong Lok Sabha seat. He expects a strong showing for his party as voters acknowledge recent government projects.
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