Meghalaya chief minister Conrad K. Sangma has said the government will partner with “individuals with land” to address traffic congestion in Shillong, a key tourist hub.

Inaugurating the state’s first automated multilevel car park at Vivekananda Road near the Additional Secretariat in Shillong, Sangma said congestion remained among the city’s major challenges. He described the facility as part of a broader strategy to gradually decongest the capital.

He said around nine additional multilevel car parks were in the pipeline and expected to create parking space for nearly 1,300 vehicles.

Sangma outlined a proposed parking policy under which individuals can collaborate with the government to develop parking infrastructure on private land. The government will provide financial support, while landowners will be allowed to collect parking fees, sharing a portion of the revenue with the state.

He noted that indiscriminate parking contributes significantly to traffic snarls and stressed the need to create designated parking zones to improve traffic flow.

A 2024 study indicated that nearly 23,000 vehicles travel daily between Shillong and Sohra, while about 21,000 vehicles ply between Shillong and neighbouring Guwahati. The rising traffic volume has worsened congestion, particularly at entry and exit points of the city, drawing frequent complaints from commuters and tourists.

The Federation of Shillong Hotels estimates that about 1.5 million tourists visited the city in 2025, driven by major events such as the Cherry Blossom Festival and large music concerts. International acts like Ed Sheeran and Mr Big have performed in Shillong, boosting its profile as a major events destination. German rock band Scorpions is also scheduled to perform in the city as part of its India tour.

Sangma said the government was pursuing multiple measures to ease congestion, including creating parking spaces for public transport vehicles in Kyndailad, relocating roadside hawkers, widening the Umshyrpi-Seventh Mile stretch, developing an elevated or four-lane corridor from Rhino Museum Point to Civil Hospital and Barik, and shifting administrative offices to the New Administrative City.