Why is arbitrary parking & collection allowed?
Editor,
Volumes have been written about the traffic problems in Shillong city and many well intended citizens have given numerous suggestions to ease the situation. However, the situation seems to be getting from bad to worse day by day. Keeping aside the long term proposals of flyovers and plans of decongestion and decentralization of activities away from the city which will take its own sweet time, as an immediate measure the government needs to free the city roads of unregulated on-street parking and restore back the old parking lots for parking purposes.
A new trend in Shillong these days is to pull a rope along any stretch of road at any junction and declare it as a private parking space or a taxi stand for some locality or the other. Shady elements appearing out of nowhere demand parking fees from such stretches. All the concerned authorities seem to be looking the other way. It seems everybody has a claim over the road except the poor citizens. It was with a lot of effort and legal intervention that unauthorized collections were stopped from toll gates collecting entry fee to Shillong and road side parking fee collection from various road stretches. The old trend seems to be back. Back to the days of shady characters demanding parking fees without any receipts and emergence of privately owned parking lots. It was surprising to find a new private parking lot at Laitumkhrah Police Point when the same land was requisitioned for acquisition for a parking lot way back in the 90’s. It appears that the government has been abdicating its responsibility in favour of private players.
It is sad but it is true that development today goes against the very objective which was set in earlier decades by the government. The objective earlier was to free the roads for movement of traffic and for which Urban Affairs Department had constructed many multi-storey parking lots. Sadly, today those parking lots are slowly becoming commercial centers and consequently road spaces are becoming potential areas for parking and unauthorized collection. Even in earlier years, roadside parking was done through a proper process. After due diligence and with the approval of PWD and Police, few stretches were demarcated and publicly notified along with the fee structure etc., under the bye-laws of Shillong Municipality. Today it is totally random and a situation of free for all. It is high time the concerned authorities and law-enforcement authorities wake up and become proactive and take action or else from a tourist destination, Shillong will turn into a harassment destination.
Yours etc.,
B. Dutta,
Shillong-1
On Meghalaya Tourism
Editor,
I’d like to take a moment to engage in a constructive discussion regarding the recent writing, “Maggie Noodles Tourism Killing Meghalaya (ST Aug 18, 2023) by Patricia Mukhim that highlighted concerns about traffic congestion and tourism in Meghalaya, particularly in relation to tourists from Assam. By the way, the writing doesn’t seem to translate well for online consumption. While I appreciate the attention given to these issues, I believe a more holistic viewpoint is necessary to fully understand the dynamics at play.
Firstly, attributing traffic congestion solely to tourists from Assam overlooks the broader factors contributing to this issue. Traffic congestion is a complex problem influenced by various elements, such as urban planning, road infrastructure, local commuting patterns, and the growing number of vehicles. While tourists may contribute to traffic, it’s important not to place the blame on a single group, especially when traffic persists even without their presence.
Addressing the topic of cooking Maggie noodles on the road sides, it’s important to recognize that tourism encompasses a wide spectrum of spending behaviours. While some tourists may spend less on certain items, their overall impact on the local economy can still be significant. Tourism is not solely defined by individual purchases but by the cumulative effect of visitors engaging with various services and attractions. As evident during the recent summer break, the high demand for hotel rooms and homestays is a testament to the diverse spending habits of tourists who choose Shillong as their destination.
Speaking of the recent summer break, the fact that hotel rooms and home stays were completely booked speaks to the allure of Shillong as a vibrant and attractive destination. This achievement is not limited to any specific group of tourists but rather reflects a collective effort by all stakeholders in the tourism industry to enhance the city’s appeal and infrastructure.
In light of these points, it’s important to remember that tourism is a multi-faceted industry that involves a network of interrelated factors. It’s essential to refrain from blaming tourists from Assam or any other group for the challenges faced by the tourism industry. Such an issue oversimplifies the situation and fails to acknowledge the shared responsibility of all stakeholders in promoting responsible tourism and maintaining infrastructure.
To ensure the growth and sustainability of Meghalaya’s tourism sector, it’s essential that we approach these matters with a balanced and inclusive perspective. By collaborating on solutions to address traffic congestion, investing in infrastructure, and creating opportunities for diverse tourism experiences, we can collectively contribute to the positive growth of the industry.
Yours etc.
Abiran Borah,
Via email
Enact stringent laws against ragging
Editor,
The prevalence of ragging in education institutions has increased rapidly, sometimes to the point where the victims are driven to suicide. Ragging literally means to torture someone in a planned manner. The main reason for ragging is revenge or retaliation. When a newly admitted student in an educational institution is harassed and ragged by his seniors, he also later joins hands with others to avenge the excesses meted out to him. In this way this series of ragging continues. Ragging is often done by senior students on new entrants in the college. It started off as a means to make new students feel at home but has degenerated into a torture. Victims of ragging are prone to depression, isolation, low morale and many other harmful effects on their personality. It is often seen that children are not so much afraid of entering a big educational institution as they are afraid of being ragged by seniors. The newly admitted boys and girls have to face a lot of embarrassment and humiliation during this period. Many times they get frustrated and also take wrong steps. Ragging, which is troubling the youth, is a terribly emerging problem today, so there is a need to enact stringent laws to stop it and consider it a serious crime in this era.
Yours etc.,
Pinaki Nandy,
Shillong