Shillong, Sep 17: The grievances of Meghalaya’s tourist taxi drivers cannot be ignored if the state’s plans for tourism to increase in its share of GSDP are to become a reality, Meghalaya Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) secretary Manuel Badwar said today.
The All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association (AKMTTA) has launched an agitation against non-Meghalayan tourist taxis (mainly from Assam) preventing them from bringing tourists to rural sites. It is the AKMTTA’s demand that only Meghalaya-based tourist taxis be allowed to take visitors to such spots. This would, it says, more equally share the proceeds of Meghalaya’s tourism boom.
Badwar said that this demand cannot simply be brushed aside by the government as it goes beyond livelihood concerns and directly affects the state’s tourism economy.
Badwar pointed out that despite tourism being projected as one of Meghalaya’s growth engines, its contribution to the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) has remained stagnant at around 5.6 percent since the late 1980s. “At best, it may rise to six percent, but I don’t see tourism growing faster than the overall economy of the state,” he said.
According to Badwar, while tourist inflow numbers – ranging from 8 lakh to 25 lakh – are often highlighted, the real question is whether this increase translates into economic benefit.
He stressed that transportation is at the core of the tourism ecosystem, with tourists spending nearly half their time travelling. “To say that transportation is not crucial in our economic system is wrong. If a tourist vehicle comes from Guwahati to Sohra and goes back the same evening, what real contribution is it making? Some tourists don’t even consume local food. Their only contribution is to the septic tank,” he remarked.
Badwar also expressed concern that poor visitor experiences begin as early as Guwahati, with some drivers painting Shillong and its people in a negative light. “If a tourist hears for hours that the people here are junglees, the entire tourism experience is ruined even before they arrive,” he said, urging the government to address such issues through policy intervention.
While acknowledging that threats from outside groups should not dictate state policy, Badwar warned that excessive agitation risks scaring away visitors. He advocated for a “balancing act” that safeguards the income of local taxi drivers while ensuring Meghalaya remains attractive to tourists.
“Taxi drivers are agitating because they see nothing being done. There is no dialogue, no committee, no effort from the government. If tourism is to grow from 5 per cent to 10 per cent or 12 per cent of GSDP, these issues cannot be ignored. The government and tourism department must be more proactive and bring all stakeholders together,” he asserted.
