The narrow and small roads of Bishnupur locality have not expanded over the years but congestion — both due to traffic and public movement — at the small junction has increased largely over the past years.
Shillong town is witnessing a population boom and the small and narrow roads of the city, which was once its highlight, are now posing serious challenges to bear the burden of the ever-increasing traffic.
The effects are quite stark in Bishnupur junction which is quite small and narrow and is getting congested day by day thanks to the rampant parking of vehicles, especially local taxis, all around the junction thereby leaving no space for other vehicles to ply smoothly through the area.
Residents say that vehicles often get stuck in the small junction especially in the evening and according to them one of the most common reason for congestion is the wrong parking of vehicles, mainly the local taxis.
The problem of congestion is confined not only to Bishnupur but even in Kench’s Trace area and the Last Stop junction.
Vehicles from Laban, Rilbong, Bishnupur, Lawsohtun, Madan Laban and Lumparing even from the Rhino point intersect at the Last Stop junction and coupled with illegal and wrong parking of vehicles, there is widespread chaos and traffic mismanagement in the area.
Residents of the area now want the Traffic Police branch to post traffic personnel at the Bishnupur and Last Stop junctions, especially during the peak schools and office time and towards the evening hours to prevent any major breakdown of traffic, which they fear, is imminent. (By Aafaque Hussain)
