SHILLONG, June 4: The Voice of the People Party (VPP) on Sunday asked the state government to revoke its order applying the odd-even formula for passenger vehicles including SPTS buses, maxi cabs and local taxis in Police Bazar and Iewduh.
VPP spokesperson, Batskhem Myrboh said this decision of the government will have a negative impact on the poor sections of the society who have to depend on public vehicles as a means of livelihood and also to reach their destination.
He further said that the decision taken by the government is unacceptable as it amounts to blaming the poor for the traffic jam in Shillong in general and Police Bazar – Iewduh in particular.
“This is nothing but an elitist approach towards the problem. It is a known fact that the vehicles from the neighbouring state, while contributing little if anything to the state’s exchequer, has been the main cause of traffic jam in the area. But the government, oblivious to this, decided to fix the problem by taking action against the vulnerable and voiceless sections of the society,” Myrboh said.
The VPP spokesperson further said that it is high time that the state government should discourage the overuse of private transport. Instead, the government should step in to provide incentives for the expansion and strengthening the public transport systems in the city looking at the issue of job creation, revenue generation and environment.
“The government has to allot and designate proper parking, embarkation and disembarkation for public transport in all parts of the city for the welfare and convenience of the public,” he added.
