Ampareen cautions MTC
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: Urban Affairs Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh has issued a word of caution for the Meghalaya Transport Corporation (MTC) which has set up a special cell to operate the SPTS buses.
“We would not tolerate any kind of shortcomings on the part of the MTC while operating the SPTS buses. We have given the MTC three months to prove its capability of running these buses,” Ampareen told reporters here on Friday, adding that the Government would review the performance after the given deadline.
The Urban Affairs Ministers looked visibly upset when she pointed out that she has been continuously receiving complaints over phone on the problems faced by the commuters while travelling on the SPTS buses.
“As per the agreement, the MTC was supposed to put in place a helpline through which people could lodge their complaints. I fail to understand why the MTC has not started the helpline for the commuters,” she said. The Minister, in a veiled manner, made it clear that MTC does not have the monopoly to operate the buses, saying, “Monopoly is not always the best option since it is self destructive”.
Ampareen, however, brushed off queries on whether her statement indicated that she was in favour of private operators to run the buses.
Mentioning that she had done a proper study on the operation of the bus service in other states, Ampareen said, ‘It is very encouraging that in these states, the operators who run the buses have been able to multiply the number of these buses in a span of one year.”
“I would be more than happy to praise their achievements if the MTC is able to do the same here,” she added.