SHILLONG, SEP 18 – The All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association (AKMTTA), along with 37 other tourist taxi associations from Meghalaya, has decided to send a formal letter to Chief Minister Conrad Sangma, urging a ban on tourist vehicles from outside the state from ferrying tourists to various destinations within Meghalaya. The decision was made during a large meeting held at the Malki Football Ground.
AKMTTA President, Ricaldinus Dohling, stated, “We have decided to issue an open letter to the Chief Minister, giving a one-week deadline for the government to address our demand. Failing this, we plan to organize a peaceful rally and may even resort to a hunger strike if the government remains unresponsive.”
Dohling further emphasized, “Our grievance has been ignored for too long. We are not asking to stop all outside vehicles from entering the state; we are only seeking to prevent them from ferrying tourists to our tourist spots.”
The association has been pressing its demand since August 21, when they first sent a reminder letter to the government, supported by 35 other tourist taxi associations. “In fact, over 40 associations are united in this cause,” Dohling added.
As a form of protest, the associations initiated a “Black Flag Week” last week, expressing their frustration with the government’s lack of action. They also criticized Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh for underestimating the number of tourist vehicles operating in the state. While the minister claimed there were only 3,000 such vehicles, the association asserts that the number is significantly higher.
Amor Kurbah, President of the Iaitylli Tourist Drivers and Owners Association, urged the government to implement a policy to safeguard the livelihoods of local taxi owners and drivers. “More than 40 tourist taxi associations have united to demand action,” Kurbah noted.
During the public meeting, representatives from 37 associations and over 1,000 drivers and owners discussed the impact of out-of-state taxis, particularly those from Assam, on their income and future prospects.
General Secretary Balajied Jyrwa called for the government to invest in improving infrastructure, including upgrading the Mendipathar Railway Station and developing Shillong Airport, to boost local tourism and support the livelihoods of the state’s tourist taxi drivers.