SHILLONG: Despite growing demands from local taxi drivers and associations for limitations on tourist vehicles from Assam, Meghalaya‘s Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh has firmly stated that there will be no official restrictions on Assam vehicles entering the state’s tourist destinations.
This announcement comes just hours after the All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association (AKMTTA) launched a week-long “black flag” protest on Monday, demanding restrictions on Assam cabs ferrying passengers to tourist spots in Meghalaya.
Minister Lyngdoh emphasized that Assam remains a crucial source of tourism for Meghalaya, given the state’s reliance on Guwahati’s airport, railway station, and other facilities.
He stressed that Meghalaya is more dependent on Assam than the other way around.
Lyngdoh has appealed to the local drivers and transporters to engage in dialogue with their counterparts in Assam rather than creating divisions. He cautioned them against actions that could harm their own interests.
Lyngdoh recalled that the state government organized two stakeholder meetings involving various tourism stakeholders, including transporters, hoteliers, homestay owners, drivers’ associations, and guides.
He clarified that while these discussions addressed various concerns within the tourism sector, there was never any demand to deny entry to tourist taxis from Assam.
Acknowledging the complexities within the local taxi ecosystem, Lyngdoh noted that a significant portion of drivers in Meghalaya do not belong to any association, while the remaining 40% are divided into several groups.
“This fragmentation makes it challenging to find a unified approach to resolving the issues at hand,” he said.
He further pointed out that despite the tension over the influx of Assam taxis, Meghalaya faces a shortage of approximately 3,000 vehicles to meet the growing demand from tourists.
On September 9, AKMTTA initiated a “black flag week” protest against the government’s failure to address their demand for a ban on outside vehicles ferrying passengers to Meghalaya’s tourist spots.
Members of the association gathered at Khyndai Lad to attach black flags to tourist taxis, which will remain on display until September 14.
Around 30 taxi associations from across the state are supporting the protest, with similar demonstrations taking place in the headquarters of the Khasi and Jaintia Hills districts.
AKMTTA president Ricaldinus Dohling expressed the association’s frustration with the Meghalaya government’s indifference to their demands and warned of further agitation if there is no positive response.
He emphasized that while tourist taxis from outside Meghalaya can bring tourists to the state, the right to ferry them to different tourist spots should belong to local tourist taxis.
ALSO READ: Air Marshal Inderpal Singh Walia takes charge as Eastern Air Command’s Senior Air Staff Officer
Dohling also criticized the government’s decision to invite them to the recent Tourism Conclave at the last minute, stating that they felt it was not an appropriate forum to discuss their demand.
He called for a separate meeting dedicated to one-on-one discussions, emphasizing the need for the government to treat drivers with respect.
“It is not proper for the government to take us for granted just because we are drivers,” he said.
