Action sought against overcharging by tourist taxis, sumos
SHILLONG: Tourist taxi passengers travelling on the Shillong-Guwahati have been subjected to an unusual form of extortion. There are complaints emerging that tourist taxis and sumos are often charging double fare from passengers travelling to Guwahati.
According to Guwahati bound passengers, tourist taxis/ sumos double their fares every day after 3 PM in the city. The same trend is also followed by their counterparts in neighbouring Guwahati. The existing rate is Rs 140 for sumo and Rs 300 for tourist taxis.
One such passenger who faced harassment – both at Shillong and Guwahati recently – has petitioned the East Khasi Hills district administration, the District Transport Officer and also the Kamrup district administration in neighboring Guwahati in this regard. This passenger complained that it has become a trend of sort that after 3 PM every day, the tourist taxi and sumo drivers start charging double thereby causing undue difficulties to the passengers.
The passenger, who was quoted Rs 600 by the driver of a Swift Dzire later hunted for a sumo only to find that its driver was charging Rs 300 from every passenger. He informed that he has faced this ‘looting by tourist vehicles’ recently at both Shillong and Guwahati.
As there are not many buses plying on the Shillong – Guwahati highway, the tourist taxi / sumo drivers know that they have a monopoly and are having a field day running their unfair trade without any action by the authorities.
“The double fare charge is practiced by both Meghalaya and Assam registered vehicles at both Shillong and Guwahati, after 3 PM,” complained several passengers from the city’s commercial hub Police Bazar. These affected passengers said they have been facing this daylight robbery for some time now. Eager to catch their scheduled train or flight from Guwahati, they unwillingly give in to the uncouth demands of the tourist taxi/ sumo drivers.
The petitioner has also urged the Transport authority and the district administration to depute an official as a passenger and collect proof of the rampant looting.
The petitioner alleged that tourist taxi/ sumo drivers give a ridiculous reason behind this practice. The drivers stated that after 3 PM they do not get enough passengers and so have to double their fares in order to make up for the empty seats.