By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The public transport system in the city has received a major boost in the last one year as public buses operated by different departments of the Government has taken over most roads of the city.
MUDA secretary T Lyngwa informed that twenty more buses would also come soon to Shillong and these bigger buses would cater to outskirt areas of Shillong.
While the Meghalaya Transport Corporation (MTC) is operating fifty buses, Meghalaya Urban Development Authority is presently operating forty three buses while seven more are expected to come soon.
It may be mentioned that earlier local taxis were ruling the streets of Shillong and they were often indulging in over-charging and over loading.
Apart from all the service, MUDA is also operating twenty Shillong Special Transport Buses which basically confines itself to dropping school kids in the morning and later follows up with the usual public service. However despite all the steps, many areas of the city like Lumdiengjri, Jhalupara, Rilbong are still not properly covered by either the buses or the maxi taxis as the frequency of the Government run vehicles is still far from satisfactory.
It may be mentioned that more than a hundred maxi taxis are operational in the city and these small vehicles usually operate in those areas which are not covered by the buses.
Ticketing in the buses and maxi taxis have also been questioned many times as it is apprehended that there may be a leakage of funds in maxi taxis.
“In maxi taxis drivers can’t give tickets as there are no conductors but we have our ways of keeping a tab at them so as to avoid any leakage of funds,” Lyngwa said.
The SPTS buses being operated by MUDA currently do not have the facility of ticketing machines as conductors are issuing hand tickets. T Lyngwa while reacting to this issue said that the fifty ticketing machines have been brought and the firm will shortly give training to the conductors on how to use the machines. “We also have plan to provide them with uniforms,” he said.