By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The ongoing torrential rainfall in the city has wreaked havoc in the lives of one and all.
Starting from the school going students, office goers to the travelers in the national highway and even the roadside vendors are hugely affected by the nonstop downpour for the last couple of days.
One of the biggest downpour of the year, a commuter of the Guwahati – Shillong Road said that vehicle skidding is a common phenomenon in this national highway.
“The tourist vehicles in this route are often on a chase as to which vehicle can reach their destination earlier. But they don’t bother that they are risking the lives of many passengers traveling in these vehicles,” said this resident of the city whose vehicle skidded a couple of times on Tuesday morning.
Another such commuter who travels between Shillong and Guwahati on a daily basis on business purpose said that with the four-lane work in progress and the ongoing rainfall the situation in the highway is very dangerous.
“On a daily basis there are some accidents or the other taking place making it perhaps the most risky highway in the entire region,” said the commuter whose vehicle had a narrow escape from an incoming truck.
However, much safer from these commuters are the residents of the city in comparison but they too are bitten by the unending rainfall. A housewife said that the rainfall has affected the attendance of her child in school besides the area near her house is flooded preventing her to come out of her house even if there is any major requirement.
“I am depending on the mobile vegetable and fish vendors to meet my needs since going out of the house means encountering flood water,” said this resident of 4th Furlong adding that her child is unable to go to the school since Monday.
It has been seen that attendances in these schools is thin since the beginning of this week as rainwater has flooded the entrance of some schools whereas in others seepages have damaged the classrooms.
“We are releasing our students two hours before the official close of session since Monday because of thin attendances,” said this teacher of a primary school in Polo.
The office goers are also affected like the students whereas the roadside vendors are finding it difficult to sell their stuff since all footpaths and roadsides are filled with stagnant water.
A vendor selling kwai and cigarette in Paltan Bazar area of the city is selling her materials on the move since her sitting area is submerged in water.
A similar condition is that of the roadside vegetable vendors in various parts of the city as their area is filled with rubbishes from overflowing drains.