SHILLONG: The Pine City of Shillong, which is widely projected as one of the most loved hill station, embraces darkness after sunset every day, thanks to non-functional street lights all across the city, much to the consternation of local residents and tourists.
The city outskirts plunge into darkness in the evening hours and anti-social elements have a gala time indulging in their nefarious activities.
A tourist who is on a visit to the city observed that only Police Bazar area was well illuminated while other areas were completely ignored. The tourist pressed for proper street lightings in other parts of the city to attract more tourists.
What is more concerning is the fact that majority of the dysfunctional street lights are located in GS Road, Motphran, Laitumkhrah and Laban areas, which are the prime locations in the city.
Even the NH 40 and 44, which pass through the heart of the city, fare no better as far as street lights are concerned.
Interestingly in Police Bazar, the newly installed solar lights are functioning normally whereas the fountain lights, installed with much fanfare and meant to be an attraction for the tourists, has not been functioning for a long time now.
An official from the Urban Affairs department admitted that the situation was bad as far as street lights were concerned and said it was the responsibility of the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Limited to ensure that the street lights functioned normally and also to carry out necessary repair works whenever required.
West Shillong legislator and former Urban Affairs Minister Paul Lyngdoh, while commenting on the sorry state of street lights in the city, said, “My observation is that Shillong is one of most dimly lit capital cities in the country.”
Lyngdoh also added that the quality of materials was so bad that the street lights become non functional in two weeks.
He added that he had taken up the matter with the State’s power minister following which it was revealed that around three to four electricians cater to Area 4 under MeECL which accounts for a population of around 80,000.
The legislator assured that he would follow up the matter with the State government.
