SHILLONG, APR 29: The Meghalaya State Planning Board on Wednesday reviewed the state’s preparedness for hosting the National Games next year and said preparations are “on track,” even as it decided to hold further meetings and site visits before submitting suggestions to the government.
Board chairman AT Mondal said the review could not be concluded as a central team from the sports department is also in the state.
“The board has sat to deliberate on the preparedness of the National Games, which is supposed to be held next year,” Mondal told reporters.
“Our meeting was inconclusive because there is a central team from sports department has come and they are also having a meeting. We are again sitting,” he said.
Mondal said the board discussed venues, events, infrastructure, and logistics for athletes and officials.
“So far so good. We discussed about the venues and how many games will be conducted in Meghalaya and what are the infrastructure and how we are approaching including the preparedness on the part of the participants and accomodations for the different discipline athletes and the officials, who will be coming,” he said.
“They have given a conclusive details of the preparedness but we told them that we need to again sit and we will be visiting the sites also,” Mondal added.
He said monitoring is being done at multiple levels.
“Sports department and especially the chief minister’s office is vigorously pursuing and Meghalaya State Planning Board as per its mandate, we are also monitoring,” Mondal said.
“So far so good, things are going ahead and we as planning board, we are monitoring side by side and as I told you that it is not only sports department but also the chief minister’s office is also vigorously pursuing not only infrastructure but also the preparedness of the athletes,” he said.
On concerns over Shillong’s traffic during the Games, Mondal said the issue had been flagged earlier.
“Yes, government might have worked on that but what we have discussed earlier from planning board, it was given an idea that one of the reasons is that roadside parking of the vehicles,” he said.
“So government has gone to vigorously create more parking spaces in and around the city and definitely this will decongest traffic snarls.”
Mondal said the board will finalise its inputs after further deliberations.
“We have given whatever suggestion is required and we will again be sitting as we have not concluded yet,” he said.
“The board will be visiting some sites.”
