SHILLONG, Aug 13 - Unplanned urbanisation has thrown Meghalaya�s State capital into a chaotic situation with traffic snarls disrupting normal life with an estimated 1.5 lakh vehicles jostling for space in the city daily.�
East Khasi Hills, Superintendent of Police, Davis R Marak informed The�Assam Tribune�that the police department has sent a report to the Government identifying the source of the problems and their possible remedies.�
�We have submitted the report to the Chief Secretary few days back with short-term and long-term solutions to the burning problem,� he informed.�
He said that the cops are trying to regulate this huge traffic, however, the ever-increasing number of vehicles and associated problems of traffic snarls can only be solved through legislation and some short-term measures.�
�There are an estimated 1.5 lakh vehicles plying on the roads of Shillong every day. So, naturally when such a huge number of vehicles are plying on just a small area there is bound to be traffic snarls,� Marak said.�
There are 1.46 lakh vehicles registered in East Khasi Hills district alone and 80 per cent of these vehicles ply or cut across the State capital. �
On any given day the number of tourist vehicles plying through the city is about 5,000. This number drastically shoots up during weekends, which according to an estimate is close to 20,000, Marak said.�
To manage this huge traffic there are just 250 policemen manning 90 traffic points in the city. They are being assisted by another 150.�
Citing an example, Marak said, large shopping malls and hotels don�t have parking space, for which the visitors park their vehicles on the narrow roads cramming these further.�
Moreover, schools have been one of the major sources of traffic snarls. But most refuse to get school buses. Marak said the report has underlined the importance of school buses in the city.�
Marak said regulations can only be the solution for these problems on a long-term basis. Meanwhile, as a short-term solution, the Police with assistance of PWD have begun mapping the city roads.
