SHILLONG, Feb 3: The indefinite strike called by the Joint Action Committee of Commercial Vehicles demanding reduction in tax rates and revision of taxi fares, took a heavy toll on the state, particularly the city, with as many as 25,000 commercial vehicles remaining off the road on Wednesday.
The twin demands by the committee members come in the wake of the steep rise in fuel prices of late.
The strike crippled normal life as commuters hinging on public transport were left stranded in different parts of the city.
Even attendance in most government offices was lower than normal with many employees unable to turn up for work due to the strike by the commercial vehicle association.
A woman, waiting for public transport at Khyndailad, said that she could not find a taxi to take her to Laitumkhrah.
“I came to office and since local taxis are not plying, I am just hoping for a government bus to arrive and take me there,” she said. Another person, A Haider, who was scheduled to go to Guwahati on Wednesday morning for business purpose had to abort his plan in the absence of commercial vehicles in the morning.
Chairman of the Meghalaya Joint Action Committee of Commercial Vehicles, Wandonbok Jyrwa confirmed that the strike would be indefinite as the state government has neither called the committee for discussions nor taken any steps to address the concerns of the commercial drivers.
“The strike will go on until and unless the matter is resolved,” he asserted, even as he said that the difficulties faced by commuters was understandable.
“But it has become difficult for us to ply the vehicles in view of the increasing petrol prices and the old rates which have been notified by the government,” Jyrwa said.
The commercial drivers want the government to revise passenger fares and reduce of taxes by 50 per cent.
Meanwhile, the Meghalaya State Coordination Committee of Transport Operators, Owners and Drivers Associations and the Meghalaya Peoples’ Labour Union (MPLU) held a meeting on Wednesday under the chairmanship of Erwin K. Syiem Sutnga, who is the president of Meghalaya Peoples’ Labour Union (MPLU).
The tourist taxi associations and organisations as well as the drivers were represented by Anthrolious Marak and Shidaji Dey, general secretary, All Shillong Tourist Taxi Drivers United Organisation, Justin Lyngdoh, president and Bashkar Deb of Khasi Hills Tourist Taxi Association and other tourist taxi organisations.
The groups discussed the hardships faced by the inter-state passengers, especially those who have made advance travel programmes, particularly for medical treatment outside the state.
A statement from the groups said that negotiations were underway with the state transport department regarding the problems faced by the members of the tourist taxi associations.
It was also informed that all tourist taxi vehicles would operate as usual and a request would be made to the state government to negotiate with the central government for a new subsidy to reduce the price of petrol, diesel and LPG cylinders for Meghalaya, which is landlocked and depends on road transportation of passengers and goods.
The associations also urged the Meghalaya government to bring down the state component of fuel taxes to give relief to the people.
The indefinite strike also affected life and commercial activities in West Khasi Hills and Jaintia Hills. Commercial vehicles stayed off the roads causing inconvenience to the public at large.
Some tourist vehicles were seen plying on the Jowai- Ladrymbai and Jowai- Khliehriat routes. The drivers claimed that they had not been informed about the strike, but assured that they would keep their vehicles off the roads on Thursday.
Meanwhile, West Khasi Hills District Magistrate T. Lyngwa imposed Section 144CrPC on Wednesday prohibiting any type of coercion, intimidation and undue influence by any person or group of persons with the intention to disturb the free flow of traffic and commercial activities of transporters and also with an intention to disturb peace and normal life in the district.