Indicating that the state Government has no plan to ban tourist vehicles from Assam from going to the tourists spot in the state, Meghalaya Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh on Thursday said with Assam being the entry point for Meghalaya, the state cannot put at risk the services currently being provided by Meghalaya tourists vehicles plying to Assam as the people of the state are generally visiting Assam either as tourists, or on ground of health and Education, therefore, any such order may have ramifications.
Holding a review meeting with the department of Tourism, Home Police and other line departments, the Minister said in the next 10-12 days he will invite all the tourists Taxi Associations in the state for a general meeting to discuss the demands of the All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association.
“We are looking at Assam as the entry point to Meghalaya, they have the Airport, they have the railway station and are we in a position to also put at risk the services currently being provided by Meghalaya vehicles plying to Assam and Meghalayan generally visiting Assam either as tourists, or on ground of health and Education so all these have ramifications,” Lyngdoh said.
Last week, All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association wanted the state government to ban the tourist vehicles from Assam going to various tourist destinations in the state.
Commenting on that, the tourism minister said, “We have to look at rather than going for a ban. How do we regulate the system in a manner that our youths those in the transport sector stand to gain. In order to enable the Government to push the dialogue forward we have decided to convene a meeting with all these associations. I was given to understand that around 40 percent of these taxis are under transporters associations covers whereas 60 percent do not belong to any association, so these also will be invited to this General meeting because we would like to ensure that we provide the best possible service in catering to their interest.”
“ At the same time we also ensure that any measures that we take should not have negative repercussions because not only tourists from Assam travel to Shillong and other tourist destinations but people from Meghalaya will also travel to parts of Assam, they visit parks, they visit kaziranga. So any system that we devise has to be done in a manner that will not have a negative impact on the tourism industry here in Meghalaya,” he added.
Amidst the sharp criticism from the Assam Tourist Cab Operators’ Union, the Minister incharge Tourism said, “Lot of demands can be raised but how practical are those demands we have to see. Now we live in a digital age, where you don’t even need to physically book a vehicle, you do it online and there are people living in Delhi who provide that kind of service, connecting the visitors straight to Guwahati and straight to Meghalaya. Lot of these issues are in the realm of what I would call intangible.”
He said that the transport department is assigned duty to give the correct input on the actual number of cars, buses and other mode of transports that are currently that are in operation and the number of vehicles with Meghalaya registration all those details, transport department will provide and on the basis of this General meeting will be called involving the transporters, tour operators , and separately with the hotel owners and owners of home stay and whoever part of the tourism industry.
Speaking of the legal part of it, he said, “You to keep in mind that these transporters also have what is known as national permits, either National permits or the permits of atleast three states, so there are legal issues involve as well but what I am saying that rather than focusing on just the problem raised we also have to look at solutions.”
The Minister further added that the number of tourists’ footfall has increased whereas the number of tourist vehicles remained more or less stagnant as the demand is now more than the supply.