By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Chief Minister Dr Mukul Sangma will flag off the Shillong Supplementary Public Transport (maxi cab) Service on January 21 at the U Soso Tham auditorium.
Initially 40 maxi cabs would be pressed into service on the routes which are currently not being covered by the Shillong Public Transport System (SPTS) buses due to the narrow approach roads.
Dr Sangma will flag off 25 maxi cabs on Saturday, which coincides with the 40th Statehood Day celebration, while the remaining 15 maxi cabs will be put into operation within fifteen days. The idea for the maxi cab service was mooted since the SPTS buses could not extend their services in some localities which have narrow paths and roads.
The maxi cabs, which were awarded to the State under the 13th Finance Commission, would be managed by the Shillong Municipal Board (SMB).
The cabs will be operational on specified routes and the fare structure for the cabs has been divided into two slabs – Rs 5 and Rs 10 – according to the distance.
Meanwhile, official sources also informed that the SMB has entered into an agreement with an SHG from Mawpat to run the maxi cabs.
“The SHG would assist the SMB in running the buses. We are not in a position to run the buses on our own since the SMB is overburdened with various other functions,” official sources added.