Editor
The fact that every alternate day there is a letter to you on the subject, from the people of Shillong, shows that the traffic jam is an acute and serious problem for everyone. The gravity of the problem is increasing with each passing day. In each of the letters to you, your reader is suggesting something or other with the hope of easing the traffic congestion. I had also written to you about it earlier suggesting all able-bodied people to walk to their destinations and also suggested for different timings for every office and educational institution so that people will not thong to the street in the same time.
One more thing I would like to suggest is increasing the business/working hours of the people. It is seen that shops and business establishments open up very late in the morning and pull down their shutters early in the evening. Thus, available transacting time for people is very less. Much less during the winter months. As the sun rises about two hours earlier here in Shillong than in Mumbai and about one and half hours earlier than in Delhi, our shops and establishments can very well start their businesses much earlier in the day than in these two cities. This will surely reduce the rush hour traffic. Also, it is observed that almost all shops pull their shutters down at Barabazar especially and other shopping centers no sooner than the sun sets on the horizon. The utility service centers and OPDs of the hospitals close by 1400 hrs. All these aspects reduce the working hours, thereby causing a heavy rush during the forenoon of a given day.
To lengthen the business/working hours, the intervention of the government or licensing authority may be needed. Further, taxis and buses may be asked to ply till evening. Opening up of evening shift schools and colleges may also be considered. Now that the government is spending a considerable amount to make Shillong a Smart City, some amount may be earmarked towards electrification to make shopping centers illuminated till late evening. I strongly feel my above suggestion may lessen traffic jams to a certain extent. Finally, I would like to say, a desperate situation requires desperate solutions. It is not only the government but all the people of Shillong city have to pull up their socks and sincerely think about ways and means to ease the traffic congestion in Shillong.
Yours etc,.
Krishna Chettri
Shillong -2
Decongestion of city traffic: A wishful thinking!
Editor,
Having lived in Shillong since birth, and being 40+ years old now, I am amused to see the different media platforms flooded with opinions on the above subject matter. In my opinion Shillong traffic congestion is a complex affair and stop-gap arrangements are and will be futile.
Our topography is such that junctions are inevitable and such junctions create traffic jams due to the criss-crossing of vehicular traffic.
Those who frequent Guwahati would recall the past where traffic jam in Dispur GNRC junction was horrible during peak hours; but now ever since the new over bridge came into being one could pass the same junction with much less difficulty.
For instance Mawlai petrol Pump, Rilbong point, Anjali Petrol Pump, Civil Hospital point, Dhankheti Point, Fire Brigade point, Laitumkhrah Point, Polo police point, Police Bazar, Motphran besides a few others are junctions and it is impossible to reduce congestion if over-bridges are not constructed;
Therefore flyovers at numerous junctions, irrespective of the size is the need of the hour. And when I say sizes I would like to again draw attention to the GNRC junction where the over bridge is constructed only for a single lane.
There are areas where traffic jams could be minimised had the authority applied their minds.
For instance lets look at Latumkhrah Police Point. The vehicles are made to go round about the rotary which becomes the cause of the jam. Traffic would flow better if the vehicular traffic from Poinisuk to Don Bosco is allowed to move double way avoiding the rotary, thereby avoiding a criss-crossing of vehicles coming from or going to Nazareth Hospital or New Colony hence avoiding an unnecessary chaos at the Junction.
A similar logic is also applicable at Fire Brigade junction.
Then comes the Barik and Civil Hospital junctions. This route at times unnecessarily gets clogged because when one route gets jammed then all junctions are clogged also. Avoiding a rotation of vehicles all around the PWD compound is a better option. Thus, when the traffic flow is dragging on one side for instance the Civil – Rhino route then it would not affect much the Dhankheti – Malki- Civil Hospital- Police Bazar route.
As such the utmost requirement would be the presence of traffic personnel to signal and control the vehicles because in my personal opinion the present traffic arrangements is less burdensome on the traffic personnel but takes a toll on the smooth functioning of traffic.
Therefore it will be in the fitness of things if those in authority be they political class or departmental personnel to take cognitive measures and especially enhance the manpower in the Traffic Branch if they are really keen to rid of the traffic jams till the overbridges are made.
The bottom line is “NO OVERBRIDGE=TRAFFIC JAM”
Yours etc.,
Name withheld on request,
Via email
Whither regional party unity?
Editor,
The rumour mills are rife with news that the United Democratic Party (UDP) with its regional centric mandate is now a “divided house” with some within the Party calling it a game between the ‘original’ and ‘non-original’ party. What is intriguing about the party is that it goes to the people with a regional centric manifesto but when it comes to regional ethics within the MDA it has no guts or courage to pull out of the ruling coalition. Similarly, the BJP which has been in the news for all the wrong reasons including the empty threats of pulling out of the MDA coalition are toothless tigers. If both these parties have some shame left in them it would be best for them to pull out from the NPP led-government while there is still time. This is what is called political audacity and not political hypocrisy.
Yours etc..
Dominic Stadlin Wankhar
Via email