The Meghalaya Rural Tourism Forum (MRTF), led by President Alan West Kharkongor, met with Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh in Shillong on Monday to discuss concerns raised by the All Meghalaya Khasi Tourist Taxi Association (AMKTTA). The forum strongly opposed AMKTTA’s proposal to adopt the Sikkim tourism model and its call to ban All Assam registered Tourist taxis from plying passengers to various tourist spots of the State, citing potential disruptions to Meghalaya’s tourism sector and economic stability.
During their meeting with the Tourism Minister, Alan West Kharkongor emphasized the longstanding practice of equal access for all tourist vehicles across various tourist spots in Meghalaya.
“All traditional heads, Sirdars, Rangbah Shnongs allowed all tourist vehicles equal right to enter and park their vehicles at their various tourist spots and no special treatment is given to any association or groups of persons,” Kharkongor stated. He added, “This arrangement has stood the test of time as it is fair and equitable to one and all and thus will continue.”
He assured that this arrangement would continue, highlighting its effectiveness in promoting inclusivity within the state’s tourism sector.
The MRTF also firmly rejected AMKTTA’s demand to adopt the Sikkim tourism model in Meghalaya. Kharkongor pointed out the fundamental differences between the two states, noting that “Sikkim is a protected state and is bound by highly sensitive international borders.”
He further elaborated that Meghalaya, being a transit state for residents of Tripura, Mizoram, and Assam, would face complications if such a model were implemented. “The adoption of the Sikkim model would raise issues of movements of people of various other States,” he said, underscoring the potential challenges for inter-state travel and commerce.
In light of AMKTTA’s recent call to ban All Assam registered Tourist taxis from plying passengers to various tourist spots of the State, the MRTF held an urgent meeting on September 30, 2024. During this meeting, members unanimously opposed the move, with Kharkongor stressing that while the AMKTTA has the right to protect its members’ livelihoods, the proposed ban would have far-reaching consequences. “The path taken by them to stop commercial vehicles with valid credentials to ply within the State of Meghalaya is not the path by which they should resort to as this would cause a collapse of the tourism sector in the State and destroy its economy,” he said.
The MRTF also raised concerns about the legal validity of AMKTTA’s proposed ban, calling it “legally not valid nor tenable.” Kharkongor pointed out that such actions would violate constitutional rights, specifically the articles related to fundamental rights and the freedom to conduct inter-state trade and commerce.
During the meeting with the Tourism Minister, Kharkongor also called for the inclusion of key tourism stakeholders in the committee that was announced by the Chief Minister to address AMKTTA’s issues. “Members and representatives of the MRTF, MTDF, TOAM, SRTA, FOSH, JTES, and other important stakeholders in the tourism industry should be inducted into the committee,” he urged. The MRTF emphasized that the committee should submit its final report within six months and ensure that the voices of all relevant stakeholders are included in the process to create a balanced and sustainable solution for Meghalaya’s tourism sector.