Shillong, Nov 4 (IANS) Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma on Tuesday said Shillong’s traffic congestion cannot be resolved through piecemeal measures and stressed that creating organised parking infrastructure was crucial to addressing the city’s growing mobility challenges.
Inaugurating two multilevel car parking facilities at Mawkhar and Motphran, Sangma said traffic had emerged as the number one concern for both residents and tourists visiting Shillong.
The two projects, implemented under the Shillong Smart City Mission at an investment of Rs 38.92 crore, will provide organised parking space for around 200 vehicles in two of the city’s most congested localities.
“Making one-way roads or stopping parking at one place cannot be a permanent solution. To find a solution, we must know why the problem is happening,” the Chief Minister said.
Sangma said the government conducted a detailed mobility study of Shillong for more than a year using drones, satellite imagery and vehicle counts.
“One of the key findings was that while we are creating no-parking zones, we are not creating parking zones. If you want to stop somebody from parking somewhere, you have to give that person the option to park somewhere else,” he said.
He said the government was exploring government, community and private land to create additional parking facilities under the state’s broader mobility plan.
The Chief Minister also said the upcoming shift of the Secretariat to the new Administrative City next year would help significantly decongest Shillong.
Highlighting the government’s approach towards community celebrations, Sangma said the administration supported festivals and religious events across communities without discrimination.
“We are not here to promote any religion. We are here to support our people and be part of their celebrations,” he said, adding that equal respect and opportunity for all faiths reflected the country’s secular fabric.
Sangma also urged citizens to participate in preparations for the National Games, which Meghalaya is set to host next year, saying the event would showcase the state’s warmth and hospitality to the country.
–IANS
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