By Toki Blah
“We can’t expand the roads because of the absence of a Municipality to enforce the Roadside Land Control Rules 1964 which in brief stipulates that no building should be allowed within 60 ft from the centre of a road. We are limited, constrained and inhibited by our own lack of vision and please accept that there is very little the Police can do and that it is unfair to blame them for their inability to improve traffic within the phenomenon of a crumbling urban infrastructure.”
I refer here to the Letter to the Editor “Road Rage Kills” (ST Sept 24, 2022) by one Mohitosh Chakravarty. One read this missive with a deep sense of sadness accompanied with that sinking feeling in the pit of the stomach that this will not be the last time such a distressing incident happens but that perhaps it is just a precursor of worst things to come. Truth is Shillong streets have become the most dangerous public places on the face of the earth. Let’s face it and accept the grim reality that they have become death traps for the unwary, especially for pedestrians. The reasons for this are many. Narrow footpaths of the city, meant for two abreast, are now occupied by hawkers (who apparently due to an ass of a law have the Right to Livelihood on spaces that are specifically meant to protect the Right to Life of those of us who are unfortunate enough not to possess a car). This forces the hapless pedestrian onto even narrower roads buzzing not only with four wheelers but criss-crossed with speeding unruly two wheelers who believe that any vacant space, on the right of the road or on the wrong side of the road is theirs to transgress and speed on. We can’t expand the roads because of the absence of a Municipality to enforce the Roadside Land Control Rules 1964 which in brief stipulates that no building should be allowed within 60 ft from the centre of a road. We are limited, constrained and inhibited by our own lack of vision and please accept that there is very little the Police can do and that it is unfair to blame them for their inability to improve traffic within the phenomenon of a crumbling urban infrastructure. Five years hence I foresee a situation where vehicular movement within the roads of Shillong will become not only a nightmare but an impossibility.
So is there a way out? Perhaps but it will depend on a strong political will especially a united political will of those MLAs whom we elect to make Laws ( irrespective of party affiliations) who hail from Shillong and adjacent constituencies. We need strong and stringent traffic laws for Shillong. There is no need to reinvent the wheel but following effective and workable traffic laws from more sensible cities will be of big help. Firstly, all vehicles beyond 10 years old should be banned from our roads. They become scrap. Sounds drastic but it has been employed in cities like Singapore, Bangkok with great success. Electronic sensors placed at strategic roads will catch and register the number of each passing vehicle, relay the same to a central server which in turn will determine whether the vehicle is legally permitted or not to ply. Secondly, these same sensors will monitor the speed limit within the city. 20 KmPH is better than not moving at all. The monitoring mechanism will provide police with the number of vehicles who violate this rule. Its disgusting to see two wheelers fly as if they are competing on Le Mans instead of sensible driving on a congested road. Thirdly, with the help of the monitoring system and the foot traffic constable, two wheelers should be strictly restricted to obey traffic rules and not drive on any side of the road. When traffic comes to a halt, they should fall in line behind standing vehicles and not occupy every available empty space. The absence of traffic sense especially in two wheelers is one of the major factors leading to traffic snarls in Shillong. If Mizoram can instill discipline and road sense in its drivers, why not Meghalaya. Fourthly, no vehicle will be registered, and if already registered will lose registration if it cannot prove it has a parking place aside from a road. Fifthly, only one light vehicle per person per family will be allowed. Again sounds very drastic; will affect the right to property but should be done for the benefit and convenience of the larger public.
Last but not least it is the duty and responsibility of an elected Municipal Board/ Corporation ( a term that seems to carry a dirty connotation in Shillong. Why is unclear) to provide parking spaces, embarking and disembarking points, improvement of drains, laying of water pipes etc. This brings in coordinated Urban development within one single empowered authority. Dorbars are unable to do this. We must accept that fact.In Shillong different departments with no responsibilities, links or sense of cooperation with one another carry our development works. Result- damaged roads that belong to no one. So if we are serious about Shillong becoming once again a livable city, then harsh but realistic measures need to be taken. We cannot go on living in the settlement and habitation concept of our forefathers. They never had to deal with a city. We do and we have to come up with laws appropriate with our expectations from such Urban habitation. Otherwise Shillong is going to become the biggest slum in Asia.
It’s true the Police are there to control traffic but we as citizens and the Law Makers must provide them the Legal and Social infrastructure to work in. Otherwise let’s forget and from now onwards keep quiet about Shillong Traffic dilemmas.
“The monitoring mechanism will provide police with the number of vehicles who violate this rule. Its disgusting to see two wheelers fly as if they are competing on Le Mans instead of sensible driving on a congested road. Thirdly, with the help of the monitoring system and the foot traffic constable, two wheelers should be strictly restricted to obey traffic rules and not drive on any side of the road.”