Shillong's Harijan Colony residents urge administration to revoke paid parking for security reasons

Shillong, Aug 5: Residents of Punjabi lane have requested the East Khasi Hills district administration to revoke its paid parking inside the locality citing security reasons.

In a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner, the Harijan Panchayat Committee (HPC) said that in June 2018, a clash between the Khasi and Punjabi communities broke out over a parking issue within the locality.

“This small issue then flared up and communal riots began. The district administration imposed curfew and Section 144 CrPC to control the situation,” the HPC said.

It further added that till now “attempts being made by miscreants of banned militant organization, including HNLC, which had plotted an IED device inside the colony in March 2023.”

The State government has installed security booths at the entry and exit points of the colony to ensure the safety of the residents since 2018.

“The presence of Central forces has been crucial in maintaining peace and security,” the committee said.

HPC, therefore, said that under such circumstances, introducing a paid parking policy for the general public inside the colony “would not only be a logistical challenge but also raise concerns about safety.”

“We request you to consider the unique circumstances of our locality and exempt us from the paid parking policy,” the HPC appealed.

Shillong's Punjabi Lane, also known as Them Iew Mawlong, was opened for traffic in 2024 after a six-year gap following the 2018 unrest.

The district administration had announced that vehicles can now take the Them Metor Road, connecting Mawlonghat to Bimola, from 8 am to 4 pm daily, under strict security.

Parallely, the state government was preparing to make a final decision on relocating 342 families from the Harijan Colony in Them Iew Mawlong, with plans for a resolution by the end of 2024.

- With inputs from news agencies