Aizawl, March 12 Mizoram Urban Development and Poverty Alleviation Minister K Sapdanga announced on Thursday that infrastructure development work on the land vacated by the Assam Rifles here will begin soon.
Speaking during the question and answer session in the assembly, the minister said that the work to widen the stretch between Treasury Square and Bazar Bungkawn, a distance of nearly 1 km, known to be one of the busiest places in Aizawl, will begin on March 17 in a move to tackle traffic congestion in the state capital.
"The public's most pressing demand is the easing of traffic. Therefore, we will begin excavating and levelling the existing road to a uniform width of 50 feet, starting from next Tuesday," the minister said, adding that the expansion is expected to provide substantial relief to motorists.
He informed the assembly that an advisory committee, comprising political parties, NGOs, church leaders, and social activists, has been formed to ensure the strategic use of the Assam Rifles land.
The committee is headed by Chief Minister Lalduhoma.
Sapdanga also outlined plans to transform the land and structures vacated by the paramilitary force into a modern public space while balancing heritage and utility.
While the Quarter Guard and Loch House will be preserved for their historical significance, other structures lacking heritage value are slated for demolition, he said.
The existing Mandir in the Zodin area will be relocated to facilitate a public park, he said.
The minister said that a massive multi-purpose complex is planned at the site of the former AR cinema hall.
The complex will include a four-storey parking lot with a capacity of thousands of vehicles, and above the parking levels, a primary auditorium with a 2,000-seat capacity will be built, and it will be named 'Vanapa Hall', he said.
Several smaller halls with 500 seating capacities will be built at the same site, he said.
The existing Vanapa Hall near the assembly will be repurposed for other essential uses, he said.
According to Sapdanga, a large portion of the Assam Rifles land will be dedicated to a "green zone", which will include a public park.
Meanwhile, in a written reply to a query from Leader of Opposition Lalchhandama Ralte, Lalduhoma informed the assembly that the Centre has waived Rs 5.23 crore to be paid to Assam Rifles as depreciated cost for buildings and infrastructures vacated by the paramilitary force in Aizawl.