Lost in transmission
If patience is a virtue, then Shillongites must be saints. Not because they meditate or practice yoga daily, but simply because we are in 2025 and we still live with mobile network connectivity that’s as untrustworthy as a politician’s promise.
Every day here is a battle between residents and the merciless mobile towers that seem to go on frequent breaks just like our office babus.
In most places, missing a call is considered rude. In Shillong, missing a call is normal. Conversations in Shillong are not linear—they are more like suspense dramas.
“Hello, can you hear me? Hello? H-E-L—” click. That single syllable can summon more tension than your edge-of-the-seat thriller. And when the line finally reconnects after umpteen attempts, neither side remembers what was being discussed. Nobody cares, actually. The fact that the call came through feels like a win.
The hunt for good network in Shillong deserves to be promoted as an Olympic discipline. Stand somewhere and you have network; walk two steps any way, and your phone becomes a useless paperweight. The glorified 5G network is nowhere to be seen.
Tourists often ask locals about the scenic spots to visit. Instead, they should be asking, “Where in Shillong can I get good 5G network?” And don’t wait for an answer, you’ll have none.
Talk about online payments. Standing at a shop counter, you and the shopkeeper watch your screen with bated breath while the blue loading circle spins, spins, and then—network error. The customer swears the money has been debited, but the delivery guy will have none of it. Cash is suddenly back in fashion, except nobody seems to find change for a 500-rupee note. Yet, despite all this, Shillong survives. People laugh at their struggles, forward memes whenever their internet connection is good or whenever they are near a Wi-Fi hotspot. Connections may be weak here, but life is always full signal.
P.S. This piece was written using Wi-Fi connectivity. The SJ member is still waiting for 5G signal on his 5G phone.
Hold your breath!
Can you imagine how Shillong welcomes its visitors? With a horribly foul stench! Yes, you heard that right.
The Marten dumping ground has started releasing such nauseating odors that words can hardly capture the experience. This assault on the senses greets you on a particular 200-metre stretch along the G.S. Road near the Mawlai-Mawroh route.
What should have been a pleasant ride or trip quickly turns into an unforgettable and thoroughly disgusting experience. For motorists, it’s even worse. The stench seeps through helmets, even with visors down, leaving riders with just one option: hold their breath and speed past this vile stretch.
The decades-old landfill at Mawlai has long outlived its intended lifespan. Struggling to cope with the mounting waste of a rapidly growing Shillong, it continues to be a festering problem. Authorities have been scouting for an alternative dumping site, but so far, efforts have yielded little success.