SHILLONG, June 25: The All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxis Association (AKMTTA) has urged the state government to develop a dedicated Tourist Taxi App, which, they say, would offer multiple benefits to travellers, tourists, and local drivers.
Members of the AKMTTA met Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Wednesday at his office chamber and submitted a petition outlining their concerns and suggestions.
In the petition, AKMTTA president Ricaldinus Dohling stated that the association has been consistently reaching out to the government through the Tourism department to express their concerns about the challenges faced by local tourist taxi owners and drivers.
“In our previous communications, we requested the government to implement a policy that guarantees the rights of local tourist taxis to ferry tourists to various tourist spots, and to restrict out-of-state vehicles from doing so,” Dohling said.
The association also mentioned that local tourist taxi operators have submitted suggestions to the committee constituted by the State government, chaired by the Director of Tourism.
Among the key suggestions is the reintroduction of the Reciprocal Transport Agreement signed between Meghalaya and Assam on December 4, 1997, as well as similar agreements between Sikkim-West Bengal, Odisha-Jharkhand, and others.
Copies of these agreements and suggestions were attached with the letter.
Dohling emphasised that local tourist taxi drivers play a vital role in Meghalaya’s tourism ecosystem by ensuring safe and comfortable travel for tourists, while also providing essential information about the destinations they visit.
He urged the chief minister to intervene immediately to expedite the implementation of a policy that would greatly benefit the local population dependent on tourism.
Challenges faced by local tourist taxis
Highlighting several ongoing issues, Dohling said that commercial vehicles in Meghalaya are struggling to earn a livelihood because many tourists arriving at airports, railway stations, and other transit points are being picked up by out-of-state vehicles.
He noted the growing number of private vehicles from Assam ferrying tourists into Meghalaya, further impacting local operators.
Dohling also raised concerns about the excessive taxation imposed on commercial vehicles at airports and railway stations outside the state, which places an additional burden on Meghalaya-based taxi operators.
He pointed out the lack of designated parking spaces for Meghalaya tourist taxis at major transit points such as Assam’s airports and railway stations, making it even more difficult for them to compete.
Additionally, he mentioned that there are insufficient parking facilities for Meghalaya-registered commercial vehicles in market areas and no special parking zones at tourist destinations across the state for passenger convenience.
Dohling concluded by expressing concern over the Government of India’s proposed abolition of the Three-State Vehicle Permit system, stating that the financial burden of alternative permits is unsustainable for local operators due to high fees.
