Plans in limbo, city’s traffic woes deepen

SHILLONG, July 17: Vehicular traffic in Shillong is increasing with each passing day much to the agony of people.
A few years ago, the state government planned to construct some bypasses in the city but there is now no word on these proposed projects even as the traffic scenario has kept worsening. Two of the bypasses were planned at Anjalee petrol pump area and MES point near Goralane to connect Umpling.
Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong had in 2021 laid the foundation stone for the construction of a link road from the existing PWD Road via Rilbong Community Hall to Umshyrpi existing PWD Road, Rilbong.
The government had also conceived a four-lane road from Rilbong to Upper Shillong along with a flyover as a part of the Shillong-Dawki Road. However, the work has not started yet.
The administration’s move to decongest traffic by imposing the odd-even system for local cabbies in Police Bazar and Motphran was met with opposition and eventually, the order for the same was revoked.
A similar idea of imposing no entry for SPTS buses and maxi cabs from Police Bazar and Motphran did not last long and the order was withdrawn.
The government hopes that Shillong will be decongested fast once government offices, including the Secretariat, are shifted to the New Shillong Township (NST). But it will take years for these projects to come up.
A worrying factor is the government’s plans to shift all offices while the roads leading to the NST are more or less narrow.
A few months ago, the government rolled out school buses under its STEMS project to decongest Shillong. Only time will tell whether this intervention will help in easing traffic.