Citizens brainstorm on solutions to traffic jam in Shillong

SHILLONG: Stakeholders of Shillong city which included traditional heads, principals of educational institutions and also teachers on Tuesday brainstormed on finding out ways and means for a solution to the perennial problem of traffic congestion in the city.

During the discussion various stakeholders gave suggestions ranging from use of public transport and school buses for children to ease the burden of traffic on the city roads to citizens working together with the police in traffic management, to widening of roads, building of flyovers and penalizing errant drivers for violating traffic regulations.

The chairman of Synjuk Ki Rangbah Shnong Ka Bri Hynniewtrep, a conglomerate of traditional bodies of the State, Dr Werlok Kharshiing suggested that the government should no longer allow constructing of government offices in the city but to locate them in the New Shillong Township to decongest the city. Another suggestion to decongest the city given by Dr Kharshiing was to build markets in the outskirts of the city for farmers to sell their produce so that they do not have to come into the city. “Peripheral roads should be developed so that people can avoid main roads,” he added.

The principal of St Edmund’s College, Sylvanus Lamare said that use of school buses by children should be made compulsory to avoid traffic jam during the school hours. “School buses has to be made mandatory for all schools especially in Laitumkhrah area,” Lamare said. The principal of St Edmund’s College also asked the army authorities to allow access to vehicles coming from Jowai and going towards Nongstoin through the view point. The Rangbah Shnong (Headman) of Mission Compound said that his locality would be proposing to the traffic police the idea of rotational parking from January next year.