Meghalaya Tourist Transporters Association issues ten-day deadline to government
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The Meghalaya Tourist Transporters Association (MTTA) has issued a ten-day deadline to the Government to provide a permanent stand at the Shillong Municipal Board Parking Lot near State Bank of India (Main branch) within ten days.
Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday, MTTA general secretary Diganta Nath said that the Government must allot the parking lot as a permanent stand within ten days for the sumo and indicia drivers of the association.
“”If our demand is not met then we will have no other option but to move the court seeking justice since the Government has failed to provide us a permanent land.
In October 2010, all the operating vehicles from Shillong Municipal Board Parking Lot near State Bank of India (Main branch) were vacated and since then the stand has been turned into a parking lot for private vehicles.
According to MTTA, the Government had that time allocated the Polo Parking for the sumo and indica drivers but the parking belongs to the Shillong Recreational Ground Trust and they are charging money from the transporters who operate from there.
The MTTA also submitted a memorandum to the government in this regard.
The memorandum also stated that the members of the association are finding it tough to run their business due to non-availability of a permanent stand.
“They are charging Rs 30 per day from each vehicle and many vehicles do not get trips daily so how will they pay the amount,” Nath added.
The parking lot near Police Bazar was removed on the ground that there was growing traffic congestion in the area but as per the MTTA, the traffic situation has further worsened after the parking lot was removed.
It may be mentioned that there are more than four hundred fifty members in the association.
The MTTA also stated that the Khasi Hills Sumo Counter Association which is operating in the Anjalee Parking lot is taking commission of Rs 250 from Sumo and Rs 120 From Indica on an average day.
‘‘An FIR was lodged by the Home minister against the Sumo counter Association and the matter is investigation but the counter is still operating,” MTTA added.
