SHILLONG: As the cry for raising fares of taxis and three-wheelers is becoming louder by the day, the state government has responded positively by referring the matter to the Transport department for working out the details.
It is expected that the Transport department would submit its recommendations next week to enable the government to take a final call.
Earlier, Joint Coordination Committee of Commercial Vehicles expressed concern over the serious financial losses suffered by the taxi operators due to the long lockdown.
The committee has urged Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong to exempt commercial vehicles from paying different taxes related to local taxis and tourist taxis within the lockdown period.
The committee, which comprises the East Khasi Hills Local Taxi Welfare Association, Hynniewtrep Tourist Taxi Association, Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association and All Shillong Tourist Taxi Driver United Organisation, pointed out the plight of transport sector having had no earnings during the lockdown period.
“It has become practically impossible to meet bank payments and due taxes and other cost and it has become difficult to maintain the daily needs of the families”, they said.
Arbitrary hike
As taxis have tentatively begun operations in Shillong after the easing of lockdown, the cabbies have arbitrarily raised the fares.
Some passengers complained on Wednesday that some taxi drivers had “doubled” the rate that existed prior to lockdown for fixed-route shuttle service. One irate customer alleged that for hiring a taxi from Khyndailad to 101 Area Upper Shillong, a taxi driver extracted Rs 350 which is exorbitantly high. The taxi drivers, on the other hand, expressed concern over the application of passenger restrictions imposed due to COVID protocol. “If we cannot carry the normal passenger load, then we have to balance it by hiking the charges”, said one cabbie in defence.
During the day, it was also noticed that a section of citizens, who are habitual users of taxis for local movement, preferred to walk, apparently out of fear of contacting the virus.
