Editor,
The Shillong Traffic Police (STP) is possibly one of the most inept departments. They seem to be constantly at work while yielding no results. Lack of understanding of how traffic is to be regulated is obviously the prime reason for the ineptitude and this is at display every few weeks when all the traffic rules change leaving the common man confounded. The constant unexpected deviations in the traffic routes are too frequent for comfort and have severely affected people. Commuters cannot make informed travel choices anymore because no one knows what fancy drill the department will run each day. It is understandable that the department initially required time to experiment with different routes which, for just reasons, initially had the cooperation of the people. However, more recently, the experiments have turned frequent, random, without adequate warning and with an indifference to the difficulties faced by commuters and citizens.
The grievances of the public are to do with the impractical routes and prohibitions in place. For instance, vehicles travelling from Kench’s Trace are not permitted to make a right turn towards Civil Hospital. Instead, they must make a turn-around from the Anjali Petrol Pump which is extremely cumbersome and enhances travel time excessively. This presumably well-intended but illogical move, in reality, aggravates the bottleneck traffic around Anjali Petrol pump.
Next, the Police Bazar area has been reduced to an experimental lab with frequent changes. As on today, vehicles from Thana Road, Quinton Road and Jail Road must turn their vehicles from Presbyterian Church, provided, you drive around the Assembly and if it is mercifully permitted, to proceed to G.S. Road as a new prohibition disallows commuters from turning around the Police Bazar circle.
Similarly, without warning vehicles travelling from Umsohsun are now prohibited from making a right turn towards Butcher Road to go to Rhino or Laban and instead must drive through Police Bazar Point towards Presbyterian Church to find a permissible turn.
Next, the new road connecting Police Bazar to Polo facilitated two-way traffic when it was inaugurated. But, as usual, without warning this was abruptly converted into a one-way road. We soon discovered that no virtue was involved in this move. Rather, the beneficiaries of this move are neighbouring business concerns which now use a large stretch of one side of the road as parking for their customers, without any objection from the department. At least, the department is thoughtful about some business interests but seems to have least concern for traffic or for the general public.
With all the chaos the only unaffected group are the taxi drivers who enjoy absolute immunity in their operations. They park, embark, disembark whenever and wherever and the police officers are either helpless or in cahoots. The evenings in Police Bazar circle are a grim spectacle. Their experiments of Traffic Police have been going on for too long without any results exhibiting their incompetence. This is the sad truth.
The problems are further compounded when such random and unplanned changes are enforced by uncouth traffic personnel. The general public is addressed with in the manner the traffic police officers interact with erring cab drivers. The lack of respect for the public and lack of basic etiquette by these traffic police officers is disgraceful and a grave cause of concern.
The Traffic department has completely ignored the problem of areas such as Civil Hospital point, Anjalee point, Mawlai, and the entire Barik- Nongthymmai highway, which are contributing factors for the mismanaged urban traffic in Shillong, and has resulted in its almost complete breakdown.
The Office of the Superintendent of Police (Traffic) should immediately take remedial measures.
Yours etc.,
- Khongwar, W. Kyndiah & others,
Via email
What are Elections for?
Editor,
Come February 27, the state of Meghalaya will go to the polls. Elections are the essence of democracy otherwise we would be living in a chaotic and primitive stage. This time many parties and new candidates are in the fray. They have with their various manifestos for ostensibly to better our lives but these are not implemented when they achieve power. Looking back at the last five years, we are yet to see overall development of the state. The rural populace are the worst sufferers. There are no motorable roads, no proper sanitation, no primary healthcare centers and no proper schools buildings. This has resulted in a pathetic state of life for the villagers.
Politicians and political parties make promises during elections, which pale into insignificance when they are elected. The BJP have assured the electorate that there will be no ban on cow slaughter or caste or religions discrimination. There is too much infighting in the ruling dispensation to devote to governance. The only option left are the regional parties but will they ever deliver the goods? We are yet to see.
Therefore I beseech you to give a clarion call to the younger generation through your newspaper to come out in large numbers and to follow their conscience not to vote for the candidate or any party which cannot fulfill the aspirations of the people. Elections are meant to bring governments that can in turn bring progress and prosperity of the people and not for the candidate or party.
Yours etc.,
Michael N. Lyngdoh
Shillong-14