Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh on Monday has asked All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association (AKMTA) to engage in dialogue with their Assam counterparts to prevent a looming transport impasse. Minister in-charge of Tourism, Meghalaya, Paul Lyngdoh, stated that most taxi associations operate under national or multi-state permits covering Assam, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh. He emphasized the importance of ensuring that these associations are properly registered, have functional office spaces, and comply with the mandatory requirements laid down by the transport department.
His remarks followed a warning from the Tourist Transporter Association of Assam (TTAA), which said that transport bodies in Assam could suspend all operations to Meghalaya if AKMTA proceeds with its proposed ban on Assam-registered vehicles entering the state’s tourist hotspots.
Lyngdoh, while addressing the media, remarked, “Now, before you make demands on the state government at least comply to a few basic requirements of the law of the land.”
He clarified that most taxi associations operate under national permits or multi-state permits covering Assam, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh. Pressing his point, he said, “As members of the media, I would also encourage you to find out whether these are registered associations with their own office spaces. Do they have their own office spaces? It is also mandatory for them to register themselves with the transport department. Have they complied with that?”
Warning that unilateral actions would inevitably trigger repercussions, the minister stated, “This is precisely what I have forewarned in the past that every action always has a reaction to it. We live in a world where we are mutually dependent. We cannot isolate ourselves and whatever we do has to pass through the test of logic and the law.”
He added, “Now, whenever you have issues which cross the boundaries of Meghalaya and are linked to the neighbouring states, it is only considered befitting that you speak to your counterpart. If KSU has any issues in Assam, they speak to the ASU. So likewise we expect these bodies to also speak to their counterparts as they are in the same business.”
Lyngdoh clarified that Meghalaya’s situation differs from Sikkim due to its geographical position as a transit state. Many vehicles pass through Meghalaya, and tourists often visit it as part of a larger circuit. He explained, “Meghalaya is a transit state, which means that a number of vehicles ply through Meghalaya and once it is a transit point, it is not necessary for that car to complete its journey within Meghalaya. You also have tourists, who travel to the North East as a circuit, travelling from Kaziranga to Shillong to Sohra and then go to Silchar. So these are travelers who are on transit.”
He further added, “This attempt to mislead by saying that tourist taxis are not allowed from outside of Sikkim, you can find out for yourself that a lot of vehicles from West Bengal are in fact taking tourists to Sikkim.”
On allegations that loan defaults had forced several drivers to surrender their PRIME vehicles, Lyngdoh countered, “Anybody can make any allegations but as we speak there is a shortage of vehicles that actually serve to ply and bring tourists to various sites.”
Pitching a collaborative solution, the minister advised local transporters to leverage their proximity advantage by forging partnerships with homestays, hotels, and resorts. He asserted, “Now, the simplest answer I can give through you to the associations and the group is do not forget that you have the advantage of being a local. Once you are a local what is your problem in connecting with various homestays, resorts, hotels. Talk to them, partner with them, tell them that you have six rooms and any point you have guests, we will bring them to your homestay and in turn you can engage us to take those tourists around. What is the problem in doing that. It is the simplest solution I can offer them.”
He concluded with a pointed remark: “You just ferry tourists from Guwahati, either the Airport or the Train station, have an agreement with the guy who runs a homestay, tell them you are bringing in guests and in turn they will engage the services of that transporter to ferry those tourists in and around Meghalaya. What is the problem in them doing that? Why should the government do that for them?”
