The Meghalaya High Court has warned of drastic action against police and district administration officials if they failed to take immediate action regarding traffic congestion in Shillong.
“This court takes serious note of the situation that is continuing unabated, and to avoid any further orders whereby drastic action be taken against the officials concerned, it is expected that the district authorities take immediate steps on the issues flagged and noted by this court especially with regard to obstruction to the movement of traffic, the Right Of Way that should be maintained by the PWD (Roads) in public roads which shall also include removal of obstructions to the entrances of public health institutions which pose hazards to road safety,” the division bench of Meghalaya High Court said in the order passed today on a PIL filed by Romilton Pahsyntiew.
During today’s hearing, an additional affidavit has been filed by Pahsyntiew as the order passed by the High Court on September 6. Pahsyntiew also enclosed photographs with regard to iron plates that have not been installed properly as also the intense traffic congestion in various parts of the city.
Government lawyer R Colney who was present in court did not bring out anything new, as to what measures have been taken by the State government, but only repeated the submissions that have been made on earlier occasions with regard to the operationalisation of the CCTV cameras. She also told the court that it would require three more months to make the CCTV cameras functional.
The High Court also expressed its displeasure with the failure by the Superintendent of Police (SP), East Khasi Hills to implement the order that has been issued by the SP as far back as February 14, on measures to deal with traffic jam and other congestions which apparently had been issued after the court order passed on February 7.
