Shillong after sunset: Smart city by day, guessing game by night
Shillong may proudly wear the Smart City badge, but once the sun goes down, several parts of the state capital seem determined to give residents an old-fashioned adventure. Poor street lighting continues to plague many areas, raising concerns over public safety and leaving pedestrians to rely on memory, instinct and, occasionally, the torchlight on their phones.
Except for a small stretch of Khyndai Lad, maintained by a private firm, much of the city’s street lighting remains dim or simply absent.
One reason for the darkness appears to have been a long-running game of “whose job is it anyway?” between the Power department and the Urban Affairs department, with responsibility for maintaining streetlights caught somewhere in the shadows.
Adding to the city’s nocturnal charm, several streetlights remain non-functional, many high-mast lights at major junctions have gone dark and even solar-powered streetlights in different localities seem to have decided that retirement is a better option.
Ironically, under the Smart City Mission, the government had announced the installation of around 700 smart LED streetlights across Shillong. They were billed as automated, remotely monitored and energy-efficient systems capable of providing optimal illumination while consuming significantly less power. Residents, however, might be forgiven for wondering whether some of them are being monitored from another galaxy.
There is finally some light at the end of the tunnel.
Urban Affairs Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar recently informed that the state government has resolved the jurisdiction issue, with the responsibility for maintaining streetlights now clearly divided between the Power department and the Urban Affairs department.
It is learnt that the last major citywide exercise to install streetlights in a uniform manner dates back to 1993.
For Shillongites, that may also have been the last time they could confidently identify a pothole before stepping into it.
Bridge turns laundry line
Clothes hung out to dry on the railing of Harrison Bridge at Kench’s Trace present an all-too-common sight that raises questions about civic responsibility and the use of public infrastructure. The garments, draped across the bridge’s safety railing, not only detract from the appearance of a busy public thoroughfare but also amount to an unauthorised use of municipal property.
The Shillong Municipal Board’s bye-laws prohibit hanging “any cloth or other substances whatsoever” on railings and other public structures without prior permission from the Board, with violations attracting a penalty. The regulations are intended to preserve public spaces, prevent obstruction and maintain civic order.
As Shillong continues to grapple with issues of public cleanliness and urban discipline, such seemingly minor violations highlight the need for greater public awareness and stricter enforcement of municipal regulations to keep shared spaces safe, orderly and visually appealing.
