SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Tourist Transporters’ Association (MTTA) has decided to hike the tourist taxi fare following the multiple increase of vehicular taxes. The decision is going to hit the passengers on Guwahati-Shillong route where most of the vehicles under the Association operate.
“We are left with no other option but to increase the fares since the Government has taken this decision in a hush-hush manner which will badly affect our livelihood,” MTTA president A Shanpru said after a meeting attended by tourist taxi drivers and owners.
The Government had ordered a four-to-five times hike in motor vehicle taxes on the recommendations of the Task Force for Resource Mobilisation which allegedly never consulted the Transport department on the matter.
Meanwhile, the MTTA has demanded for a permanent parking lot for tourist taxis within the city.
The district administration last year had removed the parking lot near the Wards Lake here citing traffic congestion and asked the tourist taxis to operate from the Polo parking lot on the outskirts of the city.
“It has been many months since we were removed from the main parking lot and till date we do not have any permanent place to operate from,” Shanpru said.
According to MTTA, the Shillong Recreational Ground Trust looking after the Polo parking lot was shocked to learn that the Deputy Commissioner allowed parking of tourist taxis at Polo without its knowledge last year.
The MTTA will hold a rally on July 12 from Polo parking lot to the Secretariat to press for their various demands.
“Due to the absence of a permanent stand extortions are going on till date,” Shanpru said while alleging that one Meghalaya Indica Tourist Counter Agency randomly charges from vehicles in the name of “TT rotation line fees” in the parking lot opposite to Anjalee Cinema Hall.