SHILLONG, March 11: Transport Minister Dasakhiatbha Lamare’s assertion that the state government will make the Inter-State Bus Terminus at Mawiong operational by April 1 evoked a sharp criticism from the Opposition All India Trinamool Congress which said that the minister had made the statement keeping in view the importance of the day which is observed as April Fools’ Day.
AITC’s Umroi legislator, George B Lyngdoh wanted to know why the ISBT, despite being inaugurated on July 24, 2021 was yet to be made operational.
The minister said 95% of the process for allocation of shops and creation of other facilities in the ISBT has been completed.
Lamare also admitted that the decades-old Meghalaya Transport Corporation (MTC) was facing serious financial constraints.
Replying to a cut motion during the voting on supplementary demands for grants, the minister said the Corporation was not earning enough revenue to meet its expenditure including payment of salary.
“We are examining the matter and we hope to resolve it soon,” he said.
Earlier while moving the cut motion, Lyngdoh lamented that MTC employees had not been paid salaries for three months and questioned why the Corporation was not utilizing its land as a parking lot for tourist taxis to generate revenue.
Lyngdoh also reiterated that the Transport department was collecting hefty fines for failed permits in spite of the COVID-19 situation, to which the minister said that a waiver was given earlier.
He admitted that the renewal charges were high and assured the member that the matter would be taken up on a priority basis.