Shillong launches Smart Zonal Parking System from Aug 1 to curb traffic chaos

CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: In a major move to address Shillong’s persistent traffic congestion, the East Khasi Hills district administration has rolled out a Smart Zonal Parking System from August 1. The initiative, launched under the Meghalaya Parking Policy for Urban Areas 2025, makes online payment mandatory for all parking fees and fines. It also empowers uniformed Dorbar Shnong volunteers to manage and oversee parking operations across the city. This marks the end of free and unregulated roadside parking in Shillong.

The city has been divided into seven key zones: Sadar, Madanrting, Laban, Mawlai, Rynjah, Lumdiengjri, and Laitumkhrah. Each zone is managed by a dedicated Zonal Task Force, led by Additional District Magistrates, and works in close coordination with Dorbar Shnongs, the police, and the Shillong Municipal Board. Clearly identifiable volunteers in uniform will monitor vehicle parking, ensuring that only authorised personnel collect parking charges.

Ronnieson Wahlang, MCS, Additional Deputy Commissioner, stated, “We have taken all stakeholders on board. Each of the seven zones has been structured in such a way that the recommendations made are effectively implemented. We are involving everyone, including the Shillong Municipal Board, taxi owners, commercial drivers, and other service providers. A sensitisation program will soon be conducted for taxi owners, red bus operators, and SPTS bus services to familiarise them with this new system. I believe this initiative will play a crucial role in decongesting the city.”

A key feature of the new system is its digital-first approach. All payments related to parking and penalties will be handled exclusively through online platforms, eliminating the need for cash transactions or manual receipts. Wahlang further explained, “Monitoring will be carried out by the zonal task forces through the institutions of the Dorbar Shnong. Where Dorbar Shnong is not present, police and Shillong Municipal Board representatives will assist. Uniformed volunteers will be deployed across the city so that the public can easily identify authorised personnel. The online system also ensures transparency, allowing us to accurately track revenue.”

Parking rates have been standardized at Rs 20 per hour for two-wheelers and Rs 40 per hour for four-wheelers. The new regulations will cover high-traffic areas like Ward’s Lake, Polo Towers, Laitumkhrah’s educational hubs, and the busy Rynjah markets. Roads that were previously overcrowded due to haphazard parking are now being demarcated and regulated.

Major stretches such as Smart Road, Oxford Hill, Red Cross, and Boucher Road have been restructured to support legal parking. Boucher Road alone can now accommodate 220 four-wheelers. Specific parking zones have also been designated for taxis in New Polo, near Balika Hindi Vidyalaya, and Gaffar Café in Golf Link. Additionally, school zones, churches, and college campuses—including Don Bosco, St. Anthony’s, SEMC, and Seng Khasi College—have been brought under the new system.

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