The siren test: Has the crackdown on VIP culture reached the streets yet?
Six months after the Meghalaya government introduced stricter rules regulating the use of sirens, flashers and tinted vehicles in an effort to curb VIP culture, many commuters say the sound of a siren still triggers the same reaction — pulling over and wondering who is coming through.
The state government’s SOP was hailed as a step towards reducing the visible privileges often associated with VIP movement. However, for some residents, the experience on the road appears largely unchanged.
“I still see vehicles with dark tints and hear sirens cutting through traffic,” said a Shillong commuter. “The government says one thing, but on the road it feels the same.”
Others point out that the issue is not always clear-cut. Security convoys, police escorts and emergency services are permitted to use sirens under the rules. Yet, many members of the public say they often cannot distinguish between an authorised convoy and a possible misuse of privilege.
“Maybe it’s an authorised vehicle. The problem is we can’t tell anymore,” remarked another resident.
The debate is less about denying legitimate security requirements and more about public perception. Several citizens feel that ambulances and emergency responders deserve unquestioned priority, but question whether every siren encountered in traffic serves the same purpose.
“An ambulance deserves priority. A VIP trying to skip traffic doesn’t,” said a motorist.
Ultimately, it leaves us with a broader question: Has Meghalaya’s campaign against VIP culture changed life on the streets, or has it remained largely a policy on paper? For many commuters, the answer may lie not in government notifications, but in what they continue to witness during their daily journeys.
Hawkers return with greater vigour
In the heart of Shillong, the battle against street hawker encroachments continues, yet new stalls are steadily reappearing.
Despite ongoing legal scrutiny and warnings from authorities, fresh vendors have set up shop along the footpaths of Motphran and GS Road. Areas that were clear just a few months ago, particularly the left side of the Motphran footpath, are now lined with numerous stalls.
What was once limited to the right side of GS Road has now spilled over to the left as well, narrowing pathways and increasing congestion.
The problem extends beyond the city centre. Along the newly constructed Shillong-Dawki road, hawkers continue to occupy the Right of Way (ROW), ignoring previous threats of eviction by district authorities. Similarly, a large number of vendors remain firmly stationed in front of NEIGRIHMS, blocking a good part of the main road, a situation that has persisted for years, making the entrance increasingly cramped and difficult for patients and commuters to navigate.
The High Court of Meghalaya is currently hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding the relocation of these hawkers. Although the government has recently notified three designated vending zones in the capital, the rapid emergence of new encroachments in previously cleared areas has raised serious concerns about pedestrian safety, traffic flow, and the overall effectiveness of urban management in the state capital.
