SHILLONG, March 28: The opposition Congress on Wednesday highlighted the difficulties faced by the people due to the perennial problem of traffic snarls, especially from the Umshyrpi bridge to the 7th Mile in Upper Shillong.
Tabling the call attention notice, Congress MLA from Mylliem, Ronnie V. Lyngdoh said traffic congestion in the stretch has become a nightmare for those living in or passing through the area for years now. On one occasion, people including office-goers and students were stuck in that stretch from evening till the next morning.
He said students are often forced to go back home after being caught in a jam for hours while hospitals suffer because doctors and nurses cannot report for duty on time.
Urging Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, also the PWD Minister, to expedite the four-lane work and take steps to ease the congestion, Lyngdoh suggested more arterial roads for small vehicles connecting Mahadev Khola with Lawsohtun. Pointing out that there are a lot of cases of traffic violations adding to the congestion, Tynsong, in his reply, said the Meghalaya Police have transitioned from human to technological interventions to check traffic rule violations.
“The department has implemented the e-Challan Digital Traffic Solution, which facilitates online compounding of traffic violations, and the ‘Eyes in the Sky’ Drone Control Room in East Khasi Hills and West Garo Hills to monitor vehicular movements, especially during peak traffic hours,” he added.
Tynsong also said that on February 7, 2023, the PHE Department began shifting and laying water utilities and pipelines at 6th Mile, Upper Shillong near ML05 Cafe, leading to the diversion of vehicular traffic from the main road through a temporary by-lane.
He said the temporary road was a soft-surfaced kaccha track not properly levelled to bear the frequent movement of vehicles and caved in due to its susceptibility even though vehicles moved slowly on it.
Tynsong said the fragility of the temporary road resulted in the stalling of the movement of medium motor vehicles, which had a cascading effect on the movement of vehicles in the city. The congestion was to such an extent that the Shillong Traffic Police (STP) had to engage chain excavator trucks of the NHIDCL to pull vehicles that were stuck on the temporary road.
Informing the House that the STP managed to resolve the problem on the morning of February 8, he said 40 Home Guard volunteers were requisitioned by the PHE Department for deployment from the MES (Rilbong) Point to 7th Mile.
Tynsong further said February 7 was the last date for filing nominations for the 2023 Assembly elections and the movement of vehicles to and from the city was overwhelming, as the candidates were accompanied by a large convoy of supporters.
He also said that the regulation and management of traffic from the MES Point to 7th Mile falls under the jurisdiction of Lumdiengjri Traffic Branch, which has a strength of 49 personnel – an inspector, five sub-inspectors, five head constables and 38 constables – deployed from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
“In addition to the regulation and management of traffic at three crucial points, the officials of this branch also handle other important junctions and stretches within its jurisdiction. As the daily density of vehicles within the jurisdiction of Lumdiengjri is very high, the help of the flying squad is also sought to ensure a smooth flow of traffic,” Tynsong said.
