Meghalaya: Harijan Colony Road to Reopen After Six-Year Closure

SHILLONG: The state government finally announced, after six long years of a shutdown following an altercation sparking unrest in Harijan Colony near Iewduh, that it would start opening the road through the colony for vehicular movement from November 4. The road had been under closure for security reasons; now, the officials claim to open it as it might decongest the road traffic in the surrounding areas.

The Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills, RM Kurbah, through a Wednesday order, thus withdrew the existing "No Entry" for decades-old prohibition. Easy access for dwellers as well as visitors would, therefore become available.

The "No Entry" restriction along the Mawlonghat-Bimola Junction stretch has been done away with in the official notification and stretched to one-way traffic between 8 am and 4 pm. Simultaneously, the stretch shall be used for diverted traffic on Motphran-Mawlonghat and Punjabi Lane. The stretch is being put into motion of one-way from Mawlonghat to Motphran. No vehicles to move from Mawlonghat to Motphran.

Parking regulations have also been modified to ensure smooth traffic movement. Vehicles parked along the stretch from Motphran to Mawlonghat need to be aligned in a way that suits the traffic flow. The buses that are currently stationed on Mawlonghat Road near the traffic point will be shifted to the MUDA parking lot opposite Anjalee Cinema Hall.

The movement of vehicles parked from Mawlonghat traffic point towards Harijan Colony shall be allowed up to Bimola Junction and beyond. Vehicles heading beyond Mawlonghat towards Anjalee Cinema Hall and Old Cherra will be allowed to move further also.

All the buses will also be diverted from Grand Hotel Junction towards Boucher Road, thus no vehicle from Police Bazar will go through that road. All the SPTS buses that are plying on route Motphran point shall take the alternative road till Jeep Stand and District Council, completely avoiding the place Mawlonghat.

Left turns at Bimola Junction will be prohibited for buses, but LMVs will be permitted to go both ways to Motphran and Grand Hotel Junction. Vehicles from the Motphran point toward Mawlonghat Junction may also go on to Punjabi Lane or Anjalee Cinema Hall and Old Cherra.

To further improve traffic flow, parking will be banned along the stretch from Mawlonghat Junction to Bimola Junction (Punjabi Lane), while Boucher Road will permit only one-sided parking. No parking will also be strictly enforced from the Grand Hotel/Umsohsun Junction up to the Motphran point.

All these changes would make the stakeholders of the locality quite optimistic, as the reopened Harijan Colony road would result in much better traffic conditions and access in the area.

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