Taxi drivers arbitrarily hike fare, DC takes exception

SHILLONG: Many local taxi drivers in the city have once again arbitrarily increased their fares without any official notification from the state government.
It is quite common in Shillong to see many local taxis plying with their own rates and government rates exist only in papers and surprisingly, most of the commuters in Shillong do not even bother to lodge any complaint against the hike in taxi fares imposed by the drivers. It was seen that many of the local taxi drivers have increased their fares on their own and earlier the cabbies were charging Rs 10 per passenger from Kench’s Trace to Police Bazar and now the same has been increased to Rs 15.
Similarly, the fare per passenger to travel from Jhalupara to Police Bazar was Rs 10 and now many of the cabbies charge Rs 15 without even bothering about the government’s official rates.
When contacted, East Khasi Hills DC, Matsiewdor War Nongbri said that she will take up the matter in the meeting of the Regional Transport Authority which will be held soon.
She also informed that under her tenure, no notification about increasing the fares has been issued while asking people to lodge complaint if they are over charged by the local taxis.
Some commuters, however, say that most of the local taxi drivers in Laitumkhrah-Police Bazar route are still adhering to the old rate of Rs 10.
CSWO president Agnes Kharshiing said the Regional Transport Authority must cancel the permits of the local taxi drivers who do not ply as per the rules as these local taxis are meant for public service.
She also said that most of the cabbies only look for reservation and they do not bother to pick up individual passengers.
It may be mentioned that a year ago when the fuel prices were soaring, the tourist taxi drivers operating along the Guwahati-Shillong road had increased their fares from Rs 300 to Rs 400 but now since the fuel prices have gone down, the fares have not been reduced by them.