SHILLONG: The Joint Co-Ordination Committee of Commercial Vehicle raised concerns on increase in number of tourist taxis from outside the state especially from neighbouring Assam and even from West Bengal as it has resulted in loss of employment opportunities for local taxis in the state of Meghalaya.
The committee has demanded the government to make restrictions for the Tourists Taxis from outside the state which will be highly beneficial for the Meghalaya tourist and local taxis.
Speaking to reporters after meeting the state Transport Minister, Sniawbhalang Dhar on Friday, secretary of the committee, Kordor L. Mawlong informed that the Minister said it was up to the Tourism Department but assured that he would forward the letter to the Chief Minister Conrad Sangma who is the minister in charge of the Tourism department.
“The tourist taxis from Assam and West Bengal should be stopped at a certain point so as to allow the local tourist taxis to ferry the tourists in and around the tourist spots in the state. After the sightseeing is over, the tourists will then be ferried back to the tourist taxis from Assam or West Bengal”, Mawlong said.
He stated that the committee is not stopping the tourist taxis from entering the state of Meghalaya since the tourist taxis have obtained permits but the local taxis should be given the responsibility to take the tourists to different tourist spots once the tourist taxis enter the state of Meghalaya maintaining that the local drivers know their own state better than outsiders.
He added that driving tourist taxis is another way of employment considering that the government is pushing for self-employment and different entrepreneurial ventures.
Similarly, chairman of the committee, Wandonbok Jyrwa said that it will ease the mundane traffic issues if the tourist taxis from outside the state are restricted from plying on the road.
He informed that during the time when HDR Lyngdoh was a former Transport Minister, an idea was mooted to have a similar policy as followed in famous tourist attractions of Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh and Darjeeling which was not materialized in the state so far.