By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Though more than four thousand local taxis and over one hundred Government buses are operating in Shillong city, yet there is still a large paucity when it comes to better public transport system in the city as even now, people have to wait for long to board their buses and taxis.
The Urban Affairs department is all set to move the Union Government to allocate more buses and maxi taxis to the State under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM).
At present, 134 buses and 127 maxi taxis are operating in and around the city which was allocated to the State under the 13th Finance Commission.
Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh recently told reporters that a proposal is being prepared for alocation of more public transport vehicles and it will be submitted to the Union Government very soon.
In the last review meeting held at the national capital, the Union Government had assured the State that the Central Government will extend its assistance in further augmentation of the services in the State.
It is evident that buses and maxi taxis have provided a major relief to the commuters who were earlier solely dependent on local taxis but even then there are many localities in the city which are not yet covered by the Government run vehicles.
Lyngdoh also informed that there is a growing demand to introduce the services in far flung areas but the Government cannot accommodate the request as these buses have been allocated to the State under public transport system.
However, the State Government is also keen to further develop the services of the buses in district headquarters like Jowai, Tura, Williamnagar and other towns.
The Government run public transport vehicle are operated by Meghalaya Urban Development Authority along with different self help groups and initially buses were operated by Meghalaya Transport Corporation but it was taken back by the Urban Affairs after the end of one year contract with MTC.