HC orders govt to list steps taken to combat traffic jams

SHILLONG, April 17: The High Court of Meghalaya on Monday pulled up the state government for not implementing the short-term and long-term measures suggested by it to check the burgeoning traffic congestion in the city and directed the latter to file an affidavit indicating the steps taken and proposed to be taken to ease the gridlock.
Hearing a PIL on the traffic congestion, the High Court Bench of Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh observed that several months back, the state government had indicated that most of the parents of school-going children in the city had agreed to opt for their wards being ferried to schools by bus, provided the state government took the responsibility of running such service.
“Indeed, it was indicated (by the state) that about 50 to 60 buses were being acquired for such purpose. However, nothing seems to have been implemented in such regard,” the bench observed.
“There were other long-term and short-term plans which had been tentatively indicated, particularly following suggestions by the IIM, Shillong and by a foreign agency apparently engaged by the state for such purpose. Again, nothing appears to have come of it apart from a ropeway being planned, and that too, for tourism purposes,” the order stated.
The bench directed that the affidavit to be filed by the state government should indicate the plans to be implemented over the next few months, those over the next few years and the long-term goals taking into consideration the rate of increase of private cars and vehicular traffic, the burgeoning tourism industry and the available space.
The court will conduct the next hearing on the matter on May 3.