While the demand by the All Meghalaya Khasi Tourist Taxi Association (AMKTTA) can be appreciated in view of the scarce livelihood opportunities, the method of pressing for their demands leaves much to be desired. Meghalaya is today a favoured tourism destination with a growing number of footfalls per annum. Considering that what the AMKTTA did directly impacts tourism which in turn affects the livelihoods of many others, particularly the hundreds of homestays and resorts across the Khasi-Jaintia Hills, they should have adopted other more tactical methods. In the first place, tourist taxis have the license to operate inter-state hence the entry of Assam tourist cabs into Meghalaya is perfectly legal and vice versa. So, the demand that Assam tourist cabs should not enter Meghalaya to ferry tourists is violative of their rights. Sikkim is the only state that does not permit any other vehicle other than a Sikkim registered one to enter the state. But this has come under flak from the Union Ministry for Tourism because the local taxis finding no competition tended to overcharge tourists. Many taxis also operate on All India Tourist permits and legally cannot be stopped from operating anywhere in India. This is the second time that the AMKTTA has raised the flag of revolt. In October 2024 tourism came to a standstill when the AMKTTA stopped Assam registered vehicles at Mawmluh and insisted that tourists should take local taxis to different destinations such as Sohra, Dawki etc.
At the time the Meghalaya Rural Tourism Forum (MRTF) took serious note of this issue and warned the AMKTTA not to repeat such actions which had caused immense hardships to a number of tourists. This is a negative signal to tourists visiting Meghalaya because word of mouth travels fast especially in the age of social media. At the time the problem was shelved but never resolved. Hence it reappeared as expected because of the simple reason – employment. Quite a few people have benefitted from the State Government scheme which allows a person to purchase a tourist vehicle under easy repayment terms. Quite a number of these vehicles are now plying in Meghalaya but they need enough passengers to be able to earn and repay their loans. While this is understandable they have to devise methods by which tourists wanting to enter Meghalaya are picked up from the airport by Meghalaya tourist cabs. A system of online booking should have been in place so that there is no quarrel with the Assam drivers.
The problem is that we have not learnt to negotiate and to resolve conflicts through dialogue. The Meghalaya Tourism Policy too should have taken cognisance of these issues and come up with a comprehensive point to point transportation policy that would not inconvenience tourists and also not tread on the toes of the Assam taxi drivers. What is sorely needed in Meghalaya is conflict resolution training for different target groups through scenario setting and techniques that allow for conversation instead of confrontation. Stand-offs such as had happened on Thursday September 18 at Jorabat are unwarranted. They expose the chinks in our armour and label us as an unfriendly state and people.
