By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, June 6: Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma has defended the near-total paralysis of Shillong’s arterial roads during Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit, citing “unavoidable” security protocols for a high-powered VVIP guest list while offering no concrete solutions for the city’s recurring traffic nightmares.
Responding to public anger over Thursday’s citywide gridlock, Sangma acknowledged the inconvenience but insisted the measures were necessary.
The visit, tied to the 73rd plenary session of the North Eastern Council (NEC), required massive security cordons for Shah, eight Chief Ministers, eight Governors, and two other Union Ministers.
The chief minister claimed such disruptions occur “only occasionally” and urged residents to understand the circumstances. However, this defense did little to soothe residents who spent hours stranded in the rain. In Polo, frustration boiled over as commuters argued with magistrates and police after being forced to remain stationary for hours to make way for VVIP motorcades.
The administration’s failure to mitigate the chaos—despite having months to plan for the summit—drew sharp criticism. Stranded motorists questioned why the government did not declare a school holiday or a half-day for offices to keep buses and private vehicles off the road.
“If the entire city was expected to be shut down for convoys, a holiday should have been announced to save us this ordeal,” one commuter remarked, echoing a sentiment shared by hundreds of office-goers who arrived hours late for work.
While Sangma assured that the government would make “every effort” to minimise future disruptions, the lack of adequate prior notice or a viable traffic management plan left the public bearing the brunt of the VVIP movement. For a city already grappling with daily congestion, Thursday’s gridlock served as a stark reminder of the divide between official protocols and public convenience.
