SHILLONG, Nov 18: As introduction of schools buses to abate traffic blues in Shillong continues to hang fire, the early-morning chaos at Don Bosco junction prevails and is further exacerbating with each passing day.
The Shillong Traffic Police, too, has admitted the problem and informed that the traffic personnel are deployed before the school hours begin. However, the same has not been able to make much difference.
Every morning between 8 am and 9 am, the Don Bosco junction witnesses chaotic scenes with a superfluity of two and four-wheelers thronging the junction to drop the students to their respective schools. The vehicular congestion gets so aggravated at times that even two-wheelers have a tough time getting a pass.
A visit to the area during the aforesaid time revealed that whilst many park their vehicles on a narrow road in the area, some park their two-wheelers on the Don Bosco junction and go on to drop the children to their respective schools.
The situation, however, is not the same and is tad better when schools get over — the only reason being different classes getting over at different times.
Meanwhile, the STP has informed that traffic personnel are deployed in the area at as early as 7:30 am to ensure that the traffic flow is not impeded.
Admitting that the road nearby Don Bosco junction is a no-parking zone, traffic personnel have informed that they allow the parents to park their vehicles, keeping in mind the safety of their children.
“Many parents bring small kids to the schools and for safety reasons, they cannot drop their children away from the school. Hence, these vehicles and scooters are parked nearby schools and within a few minutes, parents, after dropping their children to the schools, go away with their vehicles,” a traffic personnel said, informing that the traffic situation ameliorates in the area after 9 am.
However, the silver lining in the midst of the rush hour is that whilst select Shillongites have started embracing the culture of carpooling, some choose to travel on foot to their respective schools.
It is pertinent to note that earlier in August, a survey by the Office of the East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner revealed that a whopping 68 per cent of the parents in Shillong use their vehicles for dedicated school trips.
The survey, which covered 19 schools and 6,510 parents, also revealed that 20 per cent of the parents drop their kids on their way to work while 61 per cent of the students go to school in their private vehicles.
“Unlike in other cities of India, a majority of school students in Shillong use the private mode of transportation as per a survey conducted. One of the many factors contributing to heavy traffic is the individual transportation of school students by private vehicles,” the Office of the EKH DC had said.
Education Minister Lahkmen Rymbui had also said that a detailed study is being done on the proposal to introduce school buses to address the problem of traffic congestion in Shillong.
However, introduction of the same to ferry schoolchildren is yet to come to pass.
