Govt directed to arrange alternative parking stand
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The tourist taxi operators, who have been operating without a permanent parking stand for a long time, have heaved a sigh of relief when the Shillong Bench of the Gauhati High Court directed the State Government to find an alternative parking stand for the Meghalaya Tourist Transporters Association.
In a judgement passed on Wednesday, Justice T Vaiphei said, “the State government shall make an endeavour to find an alternative permanent stand for the Meghalaya Tourist Transporters Association (MTTA).
The order came after the MTTA moved the court following the failure of the State Government to allocate a permanent parking lot to the MTTA since the time they were evacuated from the Shillong Municipal Board Parking Lot near State Bank of India (Main branch) in 2010.
Informing about the court’s order, the MTTA general secretary Diganta Nath said, “The State Government is under legal obligation to provide a parking lot to the tourist taxis under the Section 117 of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988.
The Government earlier had 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 court will also ascertain if any rule has been framed by the State Government under section 138(e) of the MV Act which talks of the maintenance and management of parking places and stands and the fees, if any which may be charged for their use.
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.
When asked about the parking lot near Anjalee Cinema Hall which has been allocated as the parking lot, the members of the MTTA said, ” The Khasi Hills Sumo Counter Association there charges Rs 250 from every Sumo and Rs 120 from Indica, which cannot be afforded by many.
The MTTA also hinted that many drivers do tend to charge exorbitant rates from passengers since they also have to pay huge amount to these associations.
According to MTTA, the State Government has also notified a rate of Rs 1560 per Indica trip from Shillong to Guwahati but the Association has not implemented the rate as it would take a heavy toll on passengers who will be forced to pay Rs 391.50 per head.
