SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Government had taken up the beautification of Khyndai Lad or Police Bazar around a decade ago in the year 2010-11. During that time, tiles were laid on the entire stretch of the area and it was marked as no-vehicle zone; well that becomes ironic now if we visualise the present situation – the road packed with hawkers, pedestrians and vehicles, which is a recent addition.
Former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma had initiated the idea of turning the entire stretch into a walking zone on the lines of MG Marg in Sikkim by sanctioning a few more crores of rupees but his notion was shelved and the stretch is now booming with varied sorts of activities.
Speaking on the matter, the Headman of Police Bazar, Shanker Singhani, said that the residents had complained to the government about the problems being faced by them because of non-admission of vehicles into the stretch.
“The elderly, children and pregnant women were facing problems,” the headman said.
He added that now there is no more congestion along the stretch and if the government can come up with a solution to regulate the functioning of hawkers, the area could be de-congested further.
At present, the area is occupied by a large number of hawkers besides hundreds of people also flock the stretch every day.
Highlighting the plying of vehicles along the erstwhile no-vehicle zone, it may be recalled that the Shillong Traffic Police (STP) had introduced a new regulation in Police Bazar under which, road connecting Umsohsun Junction and Sadar Thana Road was opened for vehicular traffic.
The move was aimed at de-congesting the GS Road, which remains jam packed with vehicles.
