Sirens replace red beacons, no change in VIP culture

SHILLONG: Apparently the citizens of Meghalaya have licence to break rules on Sundays.
There are many instances where people take laws casually on Sundays believing that they will not be caught.
In an incident on Sunday around 4.30 pm, a Government vehicle was spotted blowing siren at GS Road when hundreds of vehicles were stuck in a traffic jam.
Ever since the order of using the red beacon was forbidden by the Centre, Government officials and politicians now use siren to clear their way whenever stuck in traffic.
While the Government vehicle was continuously using siren creating noise pollution, things could be learnt from Urban Affairs Minister Ronnie Lyngdoh, who avoided using the siren and waited patiently near Anjalee point recently when the Presidential candidate had visited Shillong to address the MLAs.
However, the PSO of the Minister was waving to other vehicles to move away as the Minister was getting late for the function.
Meanwhile, in another interesting incident, the youths manning the public toilet at MUDA Complex were charging Rs 5 on Sundays, when on weekdays they charge Rs 3 per head.
“We charge Rs 5 for public toilet because it is Sunday,” one of the boys said.
Another instance occurred at the small road near Old High Court, when a vehicle was seen violating traffic rules.
The Shillong Traffic Police have made it mandatory for vehicles coming from Polo to use the new road to proceed straight towards DC office from the road next to Old High Court and not to take the turn towards Police Bazaar.
The officials even put up a sign board in the middle of the road saying ‘no right turn’. However, the vehicle steered towards Police Bazaar not bothering about the traffic rules.
The vehicle took the turn, when there was no traffic police present at the spot.