By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, June 29: With the early onset of the monsoon in Meghalaya, the roads in the capital city of Shillong are already developing large potholes.
Notably, even some newly constructed roads, built just over a year ago, are showing signs of deterioration. Apart from the new ones, roads that have not been repaired in recent times are in even worse condition, riddled with more potholes.
The deteriorating state of the roads is not only an inconvenience for the general public but also poses a life-threatening hazard to them. As the rainy season continues, many are concerned about the condition of the roads by the time the monsoon ends.
Potholes on the roads in the state capital are not a new phenomenon. Every rainy season, the roads develop potholes, which the government typically fills once the rains subside. However, the government rarely acknowledges its shortcomings, often attributing the rapid road damage to Meghalaya’s higher rainfall when compared to other states.
A recent visit from Lapalang to Umpling Point revealed potholes every few metres. Similarly, the busy road at Fourth Furlong, connecting old Shillong with the new Shillong Township, remains in poor condition.
Complaints of waterlogging have been frequent, and although some stretches of the road have been repaired to address this issue, the state government is once again repairing the same sections, hoping to finally resolve the waterlogging problem.