By Wanshan B Khardewsaw
Being the gateway to most North Eastern states, traffic in Shillong has to cope with, and adjust with travelers and transporters from different land-locked states of the region, besides travelers and transporters to and from various corners of the State. With roads remaining more or less the same, (with no commendable improvement) in the past 10 years or so, the number of vehicles plying in and around Shillong has increased exponentially to reach a zenith, where the entire city is choked and paralyzed for most parts of the day. Shillong was known as ‘Heaven’ (a place fit for the gods) for travelers to Eastern parts of India, but the drive around Shillong these days is a hellish experience. Shillong is fast changing its face and character, from a quiet and peaceful hill station to a chaotic, bustling and busy, unplanned city.
More people now live in the city. The latest census report shows the population of Shillong crossing five lakh, even as a big chunk of city dwellers are not included in the census for Shillong. And this urbanization is accelerating. Many of the emerging middle class families will be driving cars, and the products they consume will be arriving in trucks, to this land-locked and train/rail-less city. Clearly, we have failed to manage our traffic system, leading to loss of working hours, and unnecessary fuel loss (because of traffic delays).
Until 30th November 2011, the number of vehicles registered in Shillong city this fiscal has already crossed 5246 (both newly registered and registration transferred from other states), even as the number of vehicles registered with the District Transport Office has shown a declining trend, recently. Though the projected/estimated increase for this fiscal (2011-12) is negative (-12.74%), compared to the last fiscal (2010-11); which I believe is the result of the recent increase in tax levied on registration of new vehicles in the state, it will however not be of any help insofar as solving the vehicular problem in the city is concerned. If at all it might only slow down a bit the inevitable total break-down of our traffic system. Even if the number of vehicles registered/newly added is zero, that is if the growth rate is -100%, for the next few years (which is of course impossible), we would still have to do a lot to wisely manage and check the present gargantuan problem.
The number of vehicles registered in Shillong city in the past ten years has crossed 58,000, of which less than 10% (about 9.74%) are heavy vehicles and Tourist permit holders, meaning that they will not be always moving in and around Shillong, and more than 7% (about 7.35%) are local taxis, meaning that they will always be plying around the city, as long as they feel they could ferry passengers. Taking the fiscal year 2000-01 as the base, however, we see the growth rate of vehicles in Shillong to be roughly about 1749.84%, until the end of 2010-11. This reveals that, post-millennia, the number of registered vehicles in the city is close to 19 times the number of registered vehicles that we’ve seen in the year 2000-01. This, and the width of all major roads in the city remaining the same or rather choked and encroached upon by hawkers, stalls, commuters, etc which is the bye-product of population explosion. Add to this the fact that we achieved the second highest decadal growth rate of population in the country, and the highest amongst the North-Eastern states this last census and the problem indeed is insurmountable.
With most major thoroughfares around the city being declared as One-Way or No Entry during peak hours when schools begin and close, every day, it has become a pain for those who reside near the schools. These residents are forced to take circuitous route on account of the restriction. This leads to economic loss of time and resources. The problem is more acute since almost all schools in the city are located along, or close to the main roads. This poses a safety threat for school-going children and the concern authorities are compelled to take these measures to control and manage traffic accordingly. It would therefore be more appropriate that the school timings be arranged in such a way as to avoid rush hour traffic.
National highways, passing through the heart of the city adds to the traffic burden with the number of trucks plying along the highway, and through the city, nearing a hundred thousand (one lakh) every day, and still counting. Private vehicle owners blame the taxi drivers; taxi drivers blame the trucks and heavy vehicles. Trucks-drivers blame the smaller vehicles and their reckless driving. The blame goes on. The police blame the public and the public blame the police. But who will actually accept the responsibility? That’s the big question that need to be answered, and the earlier the better. We should realize that we have already crossed the exasperation point, which is more or less the point of no return, and no doubt, we are all to be blamed. It’s late for us to actually realize that this is a combination of technical, political, economic, social and administrative failure. This has happened because of absence of co-ordination between the multiple authorities.
If the blame game is resolved a concerted effort is needed. We must appeal to the state and central governments to consider this as an urgent challenge. Government and the public must work in concert to resolve the problem. In Stockholm, a dynamic toll system based on the flow of vehicles into and out of the city has reduced traffic by 20%, decreased wait time by 25% and cut emissions by 12%. All of this is possible because this city and many other cities can infuse intelligent advice into their entire transportation system. Smarter traffic systems increase the productivity of businesses and raise citizens’ quality of life. They can reduce congestion, shrink fuel use and cut air pollution emissions.
Congestion can be reduced by either increasing the road capacity (supply) and removing any obstacles , wherever possible, thus widening all important roads, in and around the city, besides creating new routes and promoting better traffic management. Alternatively we can reduce traffic (demand), like parking restrictions, making motor vehicle-use less attractive by increasing the monetary and non-monetary costs of parking, encouraging mass travel by Public Transport or ride-sharing, etc. We can even restricts vehicular movement, by following the number plate restrictions based on days of the week, as practiced in several large cities in the world, such as Athens and Mexico City.
A judicious blend of official policies, technical inputs from engineers, experts and technicians and the will and support of the public in particular, along with co-operation from the various Durbars, is needed if this traffic menace is to end. It is noted that on small roads like ours a single accident may cause ripple effects which then spread out and create a sustained traffic jam when, otherwise, normal flow might have continued. Hence civic sense and social concern is much needed for the time being.
(The writer is Research Scholar & Faculty, Department of Economics, Sankardev College & Academic Counsellor (IGNOU)