Parking stand for Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association
By Our Reporter
Shillong: Time is running out for the State Government to arrange a parking place for the Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association (MTTA).
Last month, the Shillong Bench of the Gauhati High Court directed the State Government to find an alternative parking stand for the MTTA. However, the Government is yet to find an alternative land for the MTTA.
The State Government has to submit its response to the Gauhati High Court order on May 23.
In the judgement, Justice T Vaiphei had said that the State government shall make an endeavour to find an alternative permanent stand for the MTTA.
The order came after the MTTA moved the court following the failure of the State Government to allocate a permanent parking lot to the MTTA since the time they were evacuated from the Shillong Municipal Board Parking Lot near State Bank of India (Main branch) in 2010.
Speaking on the issue, the MTTA general secretary Diganta Nath said the Government has identified some plots but those are disputed land.
Recently, a meeting was also held between the Deputy Commissioner and MTTA where the Association expressed their desire to operate from the premises of the Meghalaya Transport Corporation (MTC).
Although, the Government officials in the meeting stated that the premises is being occupied by the SPTS buses, the MTTA opined that the tourist taxi business mainly gets over by 6 pm while the SPTS buses are not parked there in the day time.
“Our suggestion is being examined by the Government and we can also generate some revenue for the MTC,” Nath added on Monday.
The Government earlier had allocated the Polo Parking for the Sumo and Indica drivers but the area belongs to the Shillong Recreational Ground Trust and they are charging money from the transporters who operate from there.
