By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 11: Is Shillong becoming a city where the rule of law is not prevailing and people are being given a free hand to do whatever they want, with the government and authorities completely ignoring the mandate of imposing the rule of law?
In Shillong, a recent trend has emerged where hundreds of individuals have started their own self-styled bike taxis that operate without any approvals or fixed rates by the authorities. Many of these bike taxi operators rely on this as their livelihood. While livelihood is important, does it justify anyone starting a two-wheeler taxi service in Shillong without considerations for fares or safety?
The Government recently introduced the Meghalaya Taxi Aggregator Operational Rules, 2020, stating that no individual, firm, or company can act as a Taxi Aggregator in Meghalaya without obtaining an agent’s license from the Licensing Authority.
Reportedly, cabbies also often charge their own fares, exceeding the government rates, and sometimes overcrowd their vehicles, especially in the evenings. Authorities do not enforce regulations in this regard, allowing them to operate freely.
Apart from the issue of bike-taxis, the problem of hawkers persists.
While the state government plans to relocate around 200-300 hawkers, there are approximately 1,400 hawkers in the areas of Police Bazaar, Polo and Motphran.
Some hawkers conduct business directly on the pavement, obstructing pedestrians.
Regarding law and order, it was discovered that some individuals, who were recently arrested in a murder case, reportedly had a history of 14 cases over many years, yet the Meghalaya Police did not make any arrests until recently.
This lack of action for so long raises questions about the government’s commitment to upholding the rule of law.