SHILLONG, Aug 17: The state government told the High Court of Meghalaya on Wednesday that 53 old and disused buses have been disposed of and a substantial amount has been generated for investment in better traffic management.
During a hearing, Advocate General Amit Kumar alluded to several measures being taken by the state government for the purpose of ensuring better flow of traffic in Shillong. The identification and disposal of disused buses is one of the measures.
The government said the exercise is continuing to identify other buses, which are in an advanced stage of disrepair or beyond repair, so that they could also be disposed of.
The government submitted that a proposal has been submitted to the World Bank for financing the acquisition of electric buses which will ensure better flow of traffic and less pollution.
The petitioner Philip Khrawbok Shati suggested that the authorities should make greater efforts to dissuade private cars ferrying only one student to school on a regular basis. The government said 82% parental support has been obtained for students to be ferried in school buses to be provided by it.
“A society has apparently been formed for the purpose of ensuring that school students avail the additional public transport system proposed to be introduced for them so that the number of private vehicles crowding around the schools may go down. The State proposes to acquire 50 to 60 buses for such purpose,” a two-judge division bench, comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice W Diengdoh, said.
The bench said several suggestions have been made for the construction, widening or repair of certain existing roads or the extension thereof that would ensure traffic from Jowai to Guwahati does not have to enter Shillong proper or traffic from the other areas of Jaintia Hills, whether travelling to Assam in the north or elsewhere in the south and east do not need to go through the city.
“Apart from the Western Bypass that needs to be completed on an urgent basis, certain suggestions were made to connect certain other stretches on the outskirts of Shillong so that traffic in Shillong proper is eased,” the bench said.
The bench also said that specific suggestions as regards the widening, expansion or extension of existing roads may be submitted when the matter is heard again.
Of the two approaches to the Shillong Peak housing the Air Force Station, the road from Upper Shillong was recently repaired and extended but the road on the Laitkor side remains virtually unmotorable, the bench said. If the road on the Laitkor side is repaired, it can act as a diversion for traffic from the Jaintia Hills side, not intending to stop in Shillong, it suggested.
The bench expressed concern over the growth of “obviously illegal and unlicensed shops” just outside the Air Force Station on the approach from the Upper Shillong side. It said there are rules as regards construction in and around defence installations.
“It is plain to see that the makeshift shops that have sprung up recently in the region are too close to the defence installation. It is hoped that the State takes necessary action in such regard,” the bench said.
The matter will be heard again on August 29.
