DTO to enquire if govt consent sought by diesel-run tourist vehicles
SHILLONG: Acting East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner, Cyril V Diengdoh, will ask the District Transport Officer to inquire if the Meghalaya Tourist Transporters’ Association (MTTA) has raised the fare of commercial tourist vehicles (diesel run) with the approval of the State Government.
Diengdoh informed this on Tuesday while reacting to reports of the whopping Rs. 100 hike in the fare of diesel-run commercial vehicles operating from Shillong to Guwahati.
“Any revision in the fare will have to be notified by the government as per norms. We have to inquire if the present hike was done after Government approval,” he said.
Surprisingly, officials of the State Transport Authority (STA) informed that no such revision of rate has been approved by the Government. Even the District Transport Officer (DTO), H.F. Khongsit has no knowledge of any such hike.
Earlier, MTTA secretary Diganta Nath had informed that the rates were revised following the rise in the price of diesel which has gone up by Rs. 18 per litre.
Meanwhile, Khasi Hills Tourist Taxi Association (KHTTA) president, Arnold Lanong termed the hike unjustified.
“Our association which manages petrol vehicles will be sticking to the old rates,” he said adding that the price of petrol is higher than diesel and according to government notification vehicles running on petrol can charge Rs 375 per passenger.
“But we still charge Rs 300 thinking about the kilometre and rate factor,” he said.