As it gets uglier
Picture it. The entire pavement empty save one or two avid walkers; no feet to use the footpaths, only endless queues on the city roads filled with two-wheelers and vehicles spending hours to get somewhere — this is just a perception of a far away future.
But facts lie before the eyes of every Shillongite as to how chagrined the state of the traffic in city currently is. And despite years of surmising a better scenario of the city roads, the people’s expectations seem to have hit a dead end.
In the quest for bettering the standards of living, almost everyone is buying vehicles, at least a two-wheeler in the beginning, or is in the process — which technically hints at fewer people walking as often as before.
But that isn’t the concern.
More vehicles translate to more traffic jams, and just as more problems too.
At present, when the traffic is at its worst, getting from Barik to Rhino point could take you close to two hours.
This route is one of the notorious ones, ask any commuter.
Earlier on Saturday, a traffic jam of the extreme level was witnessed at Rilbong point at 11 am, which is very early for such a condition to persist on the roads.
The vehicles were strewn across the road from width to width leaving no room for oncoming traffic.
Although the traffic jam could be a result of an unexpected incident like an accident, which the SJ team could not verify that day, it surely explains that more attention needs to be paid on management.
Of course commuters making desperate attempts to squeeze forward through every gap in the jam only adds to the woes.
Will there never be a change?
What’s the fare?
Intercity rides are burning a hole in the pockets of Shillongites. In the absence of fare regulation, tourist taxis drivers are having a gala time charging anything that they fancy.
An SJ team member who booked a ride to and from the Guwahati airport last week was left dumbfounded when the driver charged Rs 4,000 for a one-way ride. Just few months back it was Rs 2,000.
Who hikes the price is anyone’s guess but why the taxi fares are not being regulated is a question that remains unanswered.
The district transport authority seems to have lost control of the situation and the taxi syndicate seems to have full authority in deciding taxi fares.
When confronted with the question of why he was charging such a high fare, the tourist taxi driver said, “Yehi rate hai. Aapse zyada nehi maanga (this is the rate. I did not charge extra from you).”
He also said petrol prices have gone up drastically and he had to pay a fee in Shillong and the parking fee at the airport in Guwahati.
Resigning himself to fate, the SJ member walked away after paying the fare demanded by the driver.
Will the authorities care to explain what the actual fare is?
