Shillong: Shillong claims the Smart City title, but darkness takes over after sunset. Pedestrians rely on phone torches to navigate streets. Most areas lack functional lighting, leaving residents in the dark. Only a small stretch at Khyndai Lad, managed by a private firm, stays lit.
The Power department and the Urban Affairs department spent years arguing over who owns the lights. Non-functional streetlights, dead high-mast lights, and broken solar units plague the capital. Government plans for 700 smart LED lights promised energy efficiency and remote monitoring. Residents now doubt these systems exist at all.
Urban Affairs Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar claims the government finally fixed the jurisdiction deadlock. Both departments now have clear roles for maintenance. The city last saw a uniform lighting installation project in 1993. It was a different era.
Meanwhile, public infrastructure suffers from neglect elsewhere. People treat the Harrison Bridge at Kench’s Trace like a laundry room. Clothes hang from the safety railings daily. This practice violates Shillong Municipal Board bye-laws.
The rules forbid hanging any items on public structures without permission. Violators face fines for the unauthorized use of municipal property. Officials say these violations undermine civic order. The city needs stricter enforcement to stop the clutter and keep public spaces usable. One observer noted: "The garments, draped across the bridge’s safety railing, not only detract from the appearance of a busy public thoroughfare but also amount to an unauthorised use of municipal property."
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