Traffic Woes Grip Shillong: High Court Concerned, Government’s Efforts Under Scrutiny
The escalating traffic congestion crisis in and around Shillong has attracted the attention of the Meghalaya High Court, which voiced its concerns over the lack of an immediate solution to the problem. The division bench of the High Court, presiding over a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by local lawyer Philip Khrawbok Shati, deliberated on the pressing issue.
“While on paper there might be plans, on the ground, it appears that the situation is worsening day by day. The journey from the Guwahati-Shillong highway into Shillong itself has transformed into a nightmarish ordeal. During peak office hours and school commute times, the entire city grinds to a halt due to traffic snarls. With an increasing number of vehicles and insufficient road infrastructure, compounded by limited parking facilities, the problem seems to lack an immediate resolution,” observed the High Court.
The petitioner, Philip Khrawbok Shati, brought to the court’s attention a disconcerting facet of the problem – the perceived lack of security for schoolchildren who utilize government-provided buses. The state government’s ambitious initiative to provide buses for ferrying school children, while commendable, has not allayed the concerns of parents regarding the safety of their wards.
According to the petitioner, this lack of assurance has resulted in tepid support from parents and guardians for the government’s school bus scheme. To remedy this, the petitioner proposed that government representatives visit schools to meet with parents, assuring them of their children’s safety while using the government buses.
The High Court concurred that while the school issue was just one facet of the overall traffic congestion problem, encouraging more parents to utilize public transportation for their children’s commute could significantly alleviate traffic congestion. Despite the government’s effort to encourage government employees to utilize designated buses, the response has been lackluster.
The State government, during the hearing, provided insights into measures undertaken and proposed to mitigate traffic congestion. Among these measures, the commencement of the Shillong Western Bypass construction, slated for August, garnered attention. The Western Bypass is intended to be widened and improved to relieve traffic on the main arterial road. However, the High Court acknowledged that implementation could take time as the project is still in the planning phase.
Looking ahead, the High Court scheduled the next hearing for August 23 and requested the State government to submit another report outlining the steps taken to address the pressing traffic congestion issue. As the city grapples with the challenges of traffic snarls, the hopes of residents and local authorities rest on initiatives like the Western Bypass and innovative solutions such as drone monitoring to untangle the traffic web that ensnares Shillong’s streets.