By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Nov 18: Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh on Monday dismissed the allegation ascribing a recent road accident to VIP culture as “baseless”, saying that the incident was unrelated to the convoy he was part of.
A police escort vehicle, which was part of a VIP cavalcade en route to the Shillong Cherry Blossom Festival, had allegedly hit a two-wheeler, killing the rider, Hudderfield Rymbui and injuring the pillion rider.
Lyngdoh emphasised that the cavalcade, which included the Chief Minister’s vehicle and several other cars, was significantly delayed due to heavy pedestrian and vehicular movement. “The Chief Minister’s convoy, scheduled to reach at 6:30 pm, could arrive only at 6:45 pm due to frequent stops caused by traffic congestion. My car was right behind the CM’s vehicle, followed by seven to ten other cars. We were moving at a snail’s pace,” Lyngdoh said.
According to him, the possibility of any police vehicle of the convoy hitting a motorist was improbable under such circumstances.
“The movement was so slow that the convoy had no chance to speed or hit anyone. On the contrary, a motorist riding at a high speed could have collided with the convoy,” he stated, adding that eyewitnesses narrated a similar sequence of events to him.
Lamenting the incident, Lyngdoh said the convoy adhered to protocols for the Union minister’s visit while minimising inconvenience to the public.
“The state has to observe certain protocols when it hosts a Union minister. However, attributing this accident to VIP culture is baseless,” he said.
Asked how the government will deal with the traffic menace during the Bryan Adams concert at Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Polo, on December 10, Lyngdoh said there are certain areas where administration needs to tone up. Even logistics need to be improved, he added. “We need to keep in mind the roads of Shillong. Buildings are mushrooming which is a sign of economic growth but we will ensure minimum inconvenience to the public during the concert,” he said.
Stating that the objective of organising these festivals is to encourage tourists to visit the state, he said the people in the state are music lovers and they flock to these events.
“Shall we tell them this is for tourists and locals are not welcome? It is a situation where we have to deal with very difficult conditions and make the best use of those conditions,” Lyngdoh added.