Govt wants to turn Khyndailad into a pedestrian zone

Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh today said that the state government is committed to declaring Khyndailad a pedestrian zone.

“Our commitment will be to have at least one pedestrian zone immediately and that is Khyndailad. I also had a meeting with the Chief Minister and he is fully in line with the need to declare Khyndailad as a pedestrian zone,” Lyngdoh told reporters.

He said some access to local residents which will be on the basis of car passes will be issued but the entire area will be pedestrianized.

He said that the people who suffered most in Shillong are pedestrians as you have hawkers, you have motorists using every way and there is limited scope for people to walk around.

The minister further informed that they have already started declaration of parts of Shillong as no-honking zones.

“We are in the process. The district administration and the police are in constant touch and from the tourism department, we already started by declaring Orchid, Umiam as a no-honking zone and similarly, other units of the tourism department will also be declared as no honking zones because the USP of Meghalaya is the serenity, the quiet which is disturbed by loud honking and loud music which sometimes carries beyond permissible hours,” he added.

NEI expresses concern over harassment of church leaders

The Church Leaders of North East India under the ages of United Christian Forum of NEI today expressed their deep shock and concern as two senior Church elders from Meghalaya belonging to the Presbyterian Church of India were allegedly manhandled and falsely accused of initiating conversion when they visited Bihar at the invitation of the local Church there for post-Easter celebrations among the faithful.

The latest information issued by the SP East Khasi Hills District through a press release states that they are safe and will be given police protection as they head back home, UCFNEI spokesperson Allen Brooks said in a statement.

In another development, the Church Leaders expressed their deep pain and sorrow at the demolition of 3 Churches in East Manipur District immediately after Easter following the vacation of the operation of the interim status quo order earlier issued by the Honorable High Court of Manipur.

Under these circumstances, UNCFNEI appealed to all its faithful to continue to pray for peace and harmony while standing united, Brooks said.