By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: The maxi taxi service under Shillong Supplementary Public Transport Service (SSPTS), which was launched on January 21 this year, has earned net revenue of Rs 61,5846 till March.
As per the statistics available with The Shillong Times, the SSPTS did a brisk business of Rs 8690 in January.
Informing this here on Monday, Shillong Municipal Board CEO T Lyngwa said the service is indeed providing the commuters all the relief they have been longing for.
The net revenue of the maxi taxis for the month of February and March was Rs 18,8240 and a whopping Rs 41,8916 respectively.
“The revenue generated from the maxi taxis is satisfactory even as we are concentrating more on public service rather than generating revenue,” Lyngwa said adding “we would like to make the service sustainable for the public”.
However, there are still several localities in the city which are yet to be covered by the SSPTS vehicles. Lyngwa informed that around 60 more maxi taxis would be pressed into the service within May.
The service would be expanded to allover the city once the board receives all the maxi taxis, he said adding that 15 more vehicles would be pressed into service to Mawlai and Mawroh from May 5 following public demand. Altogether 40 Maxi taxis at present are covering localities and routes which are not covered by the Shillong Public Transport Service (SPTS).
It may be mentioned that the maxi taxis are operated by Symoplang self help group and the revenue generated from the maxi taxis is shared equally between the group and the board.
Reacting to a query about the certain complaints of over charging by the drivers, he said, “If we get any complaint we will first warn the driver and then we will dismiss him from the services”.