By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Every visitor to Shillong makes it a point to visit the famous view point at Shillong Peak. However, too much of restrictions imposed by the Indian Air Force have proved a dampener for the visitors.
Tourists who thronged the Shillong Peak on Sunday were unhappy over the restrictions imposed by the Indian Air Force personnel. First of all, visitors have to produce their identity cards at the IAF gate. The driver of the vehicle also has to deposit his driver’s license at the gate.
A BSF official, who recently visited the Shillong Peak with his family, said, “It’s too much of restrictions for a tourist spot which is frequented by hundreds of visitors every day.”
Four people who had visited the spot on two wheelers on Sunday had the same experience.
The IAF personnel raised an objection saying that all four persons must wear helmets in the entire stretch from the gate to the View Point.
Finding no option, the four youths had to walk for almost a kilometer from the gate to reach the View Point.
When contacted, Defence PRO, Lt Col SS Phogat, said that he had visited the area as a tourist on several occasions and had never faced any problem.
“Customary stopping is mandatory as it is a security establishment,” he said, while adding that people travelling on motor bikes have to wear helmets as per defence rules.
“If we don’t tell others then how can we tell our people to wear helmets? We are creating awareness on road safety by following this rule,” he said.
It may be noted that there was a tussle between the defence and civil authorities a few years back which forced Nongkrem legislator Ardent Basaiawmoit to write to Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma asking the Government not to allow the Indian Air Force to claim the PWD road in the area as its own since the road has been in existence since time immemorial.
“We are demanding that the gates should be kept open for people and I have raised this issue even in the House but nothing has been done by the Government so far,” Basaiawmoit had claimed in the letter.