By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Even though the maxi taxi and SPTS buses have become the favourite means of travelling for the commuters of Shillong, the local taxis are still exorbitantly over charging from commuters and complaints keep flowing in regarding their rudeness and accommodating passengers beyond permissible limits.
To keep a tab on taxis, the Shillong Traffic police is once again issuing the stickers to all the local cabbies operating in Shillong city. Talking to media persons here in the city on Wednesday, Additional Superintendent of Police (traffic) Herbert Lyngdoh said, ” The stickers will be issued from Thursday and after a months time the police will start its checking.”
The idea behind the stickers is to keep a vigil on the cabbies who are often accused of over charging, over loading and rude behaviour. “If people have any complaints they can just remember the sticker number and lodge their complaint,” he added. According to Lyngdoh, there are still many complaints coming in the control room and in facebook page of the STP against the local taxis for over charging besides other complaints. It is learnt that the number of taxis have also come down from 4871 to 4843 in the last year. “We will not spare any one who goes against the law,” he said.
However, many cabbies in the city are still carrying on overcharging passengers in their own free will and this act will surely curb the menace.
It is evident that the cabbies now charge directly Rs 10 instead of Rs 5 for travelling to Laitumkhrah from Barik and from Motphran to IGP point. The applicants for the stickers need to bring permit, registration certificate, and pollution testing certificate besides other documents.