State govt asked to address tourist drivers’ agitation
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Sep 17: The Meghalaya Congress has urged the government to take heed of the ongoing tourist drivers’ agitation and initiate proactive measures, while warning that the unrest reflects deeper cracks in Meghalaya’s tourism economy.
Manuel Badwar, secretary of the Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), said the strike cannot be treated as a routine protest since it is tied not only to livelihoods but to the state’s growth itself.
He pointed out that tourism contributes just 5.6 percent to Meghalaya’s Gross Domestic Product, a figure stagnant since 1987 despite rising tourist arrivals. Even if that share inches up to 6 percent, he said, it still underlines a sluggish and underperforming sector.
Badwar recalled how, even during his late father’s tenure as Tourism Minister, the industry failed to outpace the state’s overall economic growth. While recent interventions were promising, he noted that tourism requires a gestation period and sustained commitment, which is missing. “Why is our tourism industry not growing in line with its potential?” he asked, arguing that rising tourist numbers are meaningless unless they translate into real income for locals.
He criticised the government’s flawed approach of treating investments as revenue and said visitor spending often bypasses the state’s economy. Many tourists, he explained, spend their days shuttling in vehicles between Guwahati and Sohra, eating their own food and leaving little behind for local businesses. “In many cases, the only thing that gets filled is the septic tank,” he remarked, stating how little economic value is retained.
The Congress leader said the agitation by the All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association (AKMTTA), which has launched an indefinite strike from September 16 demanding a ban on out-of-state tourist taxis, is rooted in this neglect. He warned that the transport sector is critical to tourism and cannot be dismissed as a peripheral issue.
Badwar also challenged the notion of Meghalaya being a mere transit state. Tourists come to Shillong and Sohra as destinations, he said, but their experience is often soured by drivers narrating negative impressions about locals during the journey. This, he argued, damages the state’s image and calls for policy-level intervention to regulate standards and protect livelihoods.
Maintaining that young tourist taxi drivers need income security in a state with limited jobs, Badwar urged the state government to create a balanced policy that protects local operators without alienating visitors.
If Meghalaya wants tourism’s contribution to the GDP to rise from 5 percent to 10 or 12 percent, he said, the government must treat transportation as central to the industry’s growth.
He also criticised the absence of dialogue and said no committee had been formed to address the drivers’ concerns.
The lack of initiative, he warned, risks pushing the crisis further.
For tourism to emerge as a genuine economic driver, he insisted, the government must engage all stakeholders and frame a hybrid model suited to Meghalaya’s unique needs.
