By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The local taxis have decided to impose their own fares on passengers. And since they are considered the lifeline of the town the cabbies are taking full advantage of this situation. “They now charge Rs 10 from Nongthymmai point to Dhankheti,” said a young mother who has to drop and pick up her child from school daily.
Speaking to The Shillong Times, the mother of a school going child said that the taxis are unwilling to take passengers on the short distance routes. “I wanted to take a cab to IGP point from Don Bosco and flagged a cab The driver was reluctant to take me. When I complained to the traffic personnel, the driver was forced to take me and others,” said the parent. These commuters feel cheated and exploited by cabbies.
An elderly resident of the town said that cabbies always hunt for long distance passengers in order to earn more and care too hoots about short distance passengers. “The fares have become exorbitant and the excuse is that petrol prices have spiked up,” complained the gentleman.
Many commuters feel that peoples’ increasing dependence on cabbies has given them the chance exploit passengers. “People should abstain from taking cabbies for short distances which they can actually walk,” said a commuter.
Others wonder why the Government is unable to penalise the taxis for not complying with the requirements on their permits, which is to drop a passenger to his/her destination.
Meanwhile, daily commuters have welcomed the recent decision of the state government to start the much awaited city bus service. “I welcome it wholeheartedly, since these buses are the only fitting reply to the blackmailing tactics of cabbies in the town,” said a private firm employee who commutes between Keating Road and Nongthymmai, daily.
Others like her felt that buses can only provide an effective public transport system in the town and elsewhere in the State since it is seen that cabbies have failed miserably in this sector.
W Jyrwa General Secretary, East Khasi Hills Local Taxi Welfare Association urged the passengers to lodge a proper complaint with the association with full details so that the Association could take action.
“If the driver has committed a first time fault then we summon him and seize his license for three months. But if the same driver commits the same fault again then we forward the case to the District Transport Authority and police, to take their own course of action,” he said.
Jyrwa also urged the state government to allot a proper embarkation and disembarkation point for the local taxis so that it becomes convenient for passengers.