city eagerly await repair such as the junction near Gold’s Gym in Lower Lachumiere.
Un-Smart Shillong
Why does a greater part of Shillong plunge into darkness after the Sun goes down each day?
Except for the brightly-lit commercial parts of the city, most of the roads, including the highways are enveloped in darkness, thanks to the absence of street lights.
So much has been said and written about the non-functional streetlights but the darkness prevails.
The government dabbled with several ideas and even executed some of them, like solar lights and LED lights but the darkness prevails.
Shillong is a Smart City in the making and tall promises are being made but broken regularly with regards to the development of the city.
While the positive impact of the Smart City projects on Shillongites is yet to be witnessed, lack of basic civic amenities in this “queen of the hill stations” leaves a lot to be desired.
Non-functional streetlights, pothole-filled roads, non supply of potable water, absence of waste management facilities, traffic congestions, lack of parking facilities, load-shedding, are some of the common issues afflicting the public, which leave a big question mark on the efforts and intention of the political dispensation to make the lives of the citizens better and free of problems.
The Urban Affairs department, the Shillong Municipal Board, the Shillong Cantonment Board, the Khasi Hills Autonomous District Council, the Dorbar Shnongs at the locality level — there is no dearth of governing bodies in this city.
What is perhaps lacking is the foresight, zeal, and intent.
Our leaders at the helm of affairs continue to speak about initiatives such as flyovers, while the ground reality speaks of a different story — one smart road has been in the making since the start of 2023; a highway which sees bumper to bumper traffic has not found a bundobast while four-laning of the same has remained a distant dream; or the chopping of trees ahead of plans materialising; all tell a tell of disarray.