ISBT ops to normalise after Umiam road works completion, reveals Dhar
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, May 8: Transport Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar on Friday said the state government is examining the possibility of providing relief to truckers by waiving certain vehicle-related taxes and penalties, particularly those linked to state subjects, following representations from transporters facing financial difficulties.
Dhar said he has been holding meetings over the last two days with truckers’ associations from East and West Jaintia Hills, as well as exporters, who sought waiver of pending vehicle document fees, taxes, and penalties.
According to the transport minister, many vehicle owners had failed to pay dues for several years, and the accumulated penalties had become substantial.
He said the associations informed the government that transport and export businesses have been badly affected in recent years due to disruptions in coal mining, timber movement and exports to Bangladesh.
Dhar said the government is now studying which components can legally be waived, while pointing out that certain sections linked directly to the Central Motor Vehicles Act may not fall under the state’s authority.
He said the government would examine matters related to state taxes in coordination with the taxation department and assured that the government intends to help transporters “as much as possible” within the framework of the law.
The transport minister informed that no final decision has yet been taken on the percentage of waiver that may be granted and said a proposal would first have to be prepared and placed before the cabinet for approval.
The minister also indicated that the government is considering introducing a special One Time Settlement (OTS) scheme with a fixed timeline, possibly till May or June, to encourage vehicle owners to clear pending dues.
Under such a scheme, he added, those who make payments within the stipulated period could receive partial waivers on penalties. He added that the move could also help improve state revenues.
However, Dhar maintained that the government would have to carefully examine which penalties can legally be waived and which cannot before taking a final decision.
Meanwhile, the transport minister revealed that operations at the Inter-State Bus Terminal (ISBT) in Mawiong are expected to normalise once the ongoing road and bridge works near Umiam are completed.
Dhar said the government has been pressing the contractor to complete the work at the earliest and informed that only about four to five per cent of the project remains pending.
He said that once the road becomes functional, transport operations would return to normal “like before”.
Responding to concerns over the poor condition of the ISBT premises, including reports of people staying there and infrastructure falling into disrepair, the minister said officials of the Meghalaya Transport Corporation (MTC) have already been instructed to clean and restore the facility before operations fully resume.
On complaints that taxi drivers operating between Ri-Bhoi, ISBT and Umroi Airport were overcharging passengers, Dhar said he had received verbal complaints and had directed officials to look into the matter, though no written complaints had yet been submitted.
He also acknowledged the inconvenience currently faced by passengers, who have to travel to Umiam to board buses due to restrictions on heavy vehicles crossing the renovated Umiam dam bridge.
Dhar said the government wants to complete the ongoing road works quickly so that normal operations at the ISBT can restart. He added that services would resume once the new alternate bridge at Umiam is completed, which he estimated may take another two to three months.
On concerns that the present route is too narrow for heavy traffic, the minister said a larger road expansion proposal from Umiam through Marbaniang towards Shillong city is already being prepared.
He said the government wants the main entry route into Shillong to be developed into a “beautiful road”, especially as Meghalaya is increasingly emerging as a major tourist destination.
The restrictions on heavy vehicles using the renovated Umiam dam bridge since August 2024 have severely affected transport operations and businesses linked to the ISBT.
Passengers travelling between Guwahati and Shillong have been forced to board buses from Umiam, while shopkeepers operating from the Rs 48-crore ISBT complex have also suffered losses.
Transporters had earlier claimed that the diversion through Mawryngkneng increased travel distances by nearly 80-90 km, leading to a sharp rise in transportation costs between Guwahati and Shillong.
