Cantonment land to help ease growing traffic congestion
From CK Nayak
New Delhi: The Defence Ministry is working out a solution to hand over some chunk of land under its possession to the State Government to ease the burgeoning traffic congestion in Shillong and its approach roads which has almost reached unbearable proportions, official sources said here on Wednesday.
The national highway itself passes through the Shillong cantonment area with two major bottle necks at the inter sections – General’s Point and Civil Hospital Point – two ends of the Garrison Ground. On top of it the portion has been fenced leaving no room for expansion and constructing flyovers is the only option for which land from within the Cantonment areas would be needed, a note from the State Government sent earlier to the Defence Ministry, mentioned.
The State Government needs the Garrison Ground for holding public rallies and meetings which are otherwise held on busy roads or traffic junctions, the note said, adding, it would help in easing traffic within the city and approach roads since such meetings can be held in Garrison Ground.
The traffic problem has become acute in the city which has one of the fastest growing population as well as growing numbers of vehicles in the capital. Shillong as the only city in the State has seen phenomenal rise in population in last few decades rising from few thousands to almost four lakh now, the note added.
Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma during his trips to New Delhi had held meetings with Defence Minister AK Antony and top officials to sort out the problem. The State Government is willing to provide suitable land in alternative places in exchange, he had assured.
Accordingly, Antony had a meeting with Minister of State for Defence, MM Pallam Raju, and other officials, sources have informed, while adding that a solution acceptable to both the Defence establishment and the civilian administration would be worked out soon.
Dr Sangma had suggested for a high-level inter-ministerial committee with representatives of both the State Government and the Ministry of Defence for an on-the-spot study for such transfer. Such an exercise was once done by late Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, he had said.
The Chief Minster also pointed out that being a landlocked hill State, Meghalaya, had no other communication links. There is no rail link and air traffic is very limited putting the entire burden on the limited roads, he had stated.
Besides its own vehicle flow the city also bears the brunt of inter-state traffic bound to and from Assam, Tripura and Mizoram, first two being densely populated states, the note sent by the State Government said. Hundreds of trucks carrying cement, lime stone, coal and consumable goods ply through the city roads daily.
The State also needed land from the Defence authorities for its new Assembly building on the hillock on the other side of the Garrison Ground which is also contiguous to the national highway.
“This part of the Cantonment does not have many office complexes but sparsely distributed residential buildings and some civilian points like Lady Keane College,” the note stated.
The State Government also sought 38 acres of Cantonment land at Umroi for expanding the runway at the Shillong Airport to facilitate operation of bigger aircrafts like Boeing and Airbus. This will not only help the State in easing its road traffic to some extent but also enhance strategic importance of the region, the note said.
The Chief Minister also made it clear that Meghalaya has been allocating land to the Defence forces liberally. Shillong is virtually surrounded by Cantonments — Assam Rifles Headquarters, Air Force Headquarters and BSF Zonal office besides the Umroi Cantonment, he pointed out.