SHILLONG, Aug 29: To ease traffic congestion in Shillong, the High Court of Meghalaya has made a series of suggestions to the state government, including exploring the idea of having ropeways and cable cars as a long-term solution.
During a hearing on the matter on Monday, the appearing parties made suggestions pertaining to several roads that may be repaired or short stretches constructed, particularly on the outskirts of Shillong, to ease congestion at the city centre and the main business district.
Advocate General A Kumar agreed to seek the advice of the Indian Institute of Management, Shillong to help prepare a blueprint, as suggested by the court, for the ultimate easing of traffic snarls and smoother vehicular movement in Shillong proper.
“It would be best if a map of Shillong were to be prepared and the immediate ad hoc measures to improve the present situation indicated, in terms of repairs or construction of roads, and the long-term measures separately indicated so that the present problem can be eased to some extent over the next few months and years and ultimately, addressed upon the completion of the entire project five or six years down the line,” a division bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice W Diengdoh said in an order.
Stating that while it is imperative that immediate steps are taken to address the problem but the state government has constraints in terms of resources, the court said a blueprint must be ready and the same implemented over a reasonable period of time upon making a financial estimate, together with a cost-benefit analysis.
Further, the court said, apart from repair or construction of roads, several other measures need to be adopted.
“One of the aspects earlier indicated by the Advocate General was the procurement of electric buses. The State had also represented earlier that the majority of parents of school-going children had also agreed (Contd on P-4)
HC suggests measures to tackle…
(Contd from P-1) that if a secured and dedicated public transport system was put in place for school students, individual cars carrying one student at a time may not congest the area around the schools,” the court said.
The other indication given by the state government was to augment the public transport system and revisit the flow of traffic in certain congested areas.
The court said several measures have to be taken in tandem, not the least of them being the removal of vendors from pavements at key and congested places where the pedestrians’ footfall on the carriageways impedes the flow of vehicular traffic.
According to the court, for a long-term solution, ropeways and cable-cars have to be looked into after an expert proposal is prepared for it to be financially assessed and, if feasible, implemented.
“External aid agencies have already been approached, according to the State, but there are several other agencies which are available both to conduct feasibility studies and to fund the projects,” the court said.
It pointed out that band-aid solutions may be necessary since at present, the traffic comes to a standstill at several places, particularly the vehicles coming in from and going to Guwahati and near the Police Bazar area.
The court asked the Advocate General to look into the suggestions made by the lawyers and forward the same to the state government for its consideration.
The petitioner, Philip Khrawbok Shati, submitted that a report, indicating the exact measures taken over the last six months to help ease the traffic problem and the proposed measures to be taken in the near future, should be compiled in addition to the long-term strategic plan being indicated.
The court categorically stated that while the appropriate authorities attend to the traffic problems in the heart of present Shillong, they must also be mindful of the New Shillong Township that is coming up and have plans in place well ahead of the township being completely established so that the problem is not diverted from the present Shillong to the New Shillong Township.
“Several learned lawyers assisting the Court in the present matter submit that in respect of the proposed New Shillong Township, clearly demarcated areas should be indicated for use as commercial, administrative, educational or residential enclave. They further submit that a traffic flow management plan should be in place before the township comes to live,” the court said.
“The State would do well to project the possible flow of traffic in New Shillong once it is established and take measures before the Township is established rather than being pushed to take the same several years down the line when the problem would already have arisen,” the court added.
