City faces brunt of recurrent traffic jams

SHILLONG: As the festival of Christmas is approaching, and the traffic scenario in the city is going from bad to worse, the Shillong Traffic Police has advocated on the need to come up with more parking lots in and around the city.
The city has been witnessing huge traffic snarls for the past few weeks as thousands of shoppers throng the commercial hubs for their Christmas shopping.
Speaking on the unprecedented traffic jams, SP (Traffic) NK Syiem rued the lack of parking lots in the city stating that there was only one parking lot at Khyndailad which is the busiest stretch in the town and there should be upgradation of parking lots.
It is evident that many parts of the city are suffocated with vehicles and the situation at Khyndailad stretch remains grim throughout the day.
According to Syiem, the traffic situation becomes grim right from the morning since hundreds of vehicles from rural areas make their way to Shillong and gradually traffic reduces in the evening when vehicles leave for their respective places.
He admitted that there is a shortage of traffic police personnel in the city and the Home Guards are also assisting traffic police in regulating traffic.
As per traffic police Chief, approximately 80000-90000 vehicles ply on the roads of Shillong and traffic jams are bound to occur in the city.
The traffic police has already imposed restrictions on the entry of trucks in the city during day in view of the Christmas festival.