Shillong, Sep 16: Organisations representing commercial vehicle operators in Assam have given Meghalaya two days to reverse a restriction on the operation of outside tourist taxis, which was promulgated and enforced by the All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association (AKMTTA) from today.
The AKMTTA has had a long-term gripe against their brethren from Assam, claiming that the latter have too large a share in the business of taking tourists in Meghalaya around the sights. Assam not only provides a large number of visitors to Meghalaya but, as Guwahati is the entry point to the North East for most tourists from further afield, it is natural that they end up using Assam-registered tourist taxis when coming to Meghalaya. The AKMTTA wants Assam taxis (and those from elsewhere) to be limited to bringing tourists to central locations like Shillong from where they can take local tourist taxis to places of interest. This would, the AKMTTA feels, spread the benefits of the tourism boom to its members.
The local tourist taxi drivers set up blockades at locations such as Umtyngngar, Kyrdemkhla and other points, insisting that only vehicles registered under the “ML” series transport tourists. Initially, non-Meghalaya vehicles were stopped and not allowed to proceed. However, following the intervention of a magistrate, these out-of-state tourist vehicles were eventually permitted to continue their trips.
In response, the AKMTTA resorted to distributing pamphlets to voice their stand on the issue.
Meanwhile, a joint decision of the Motor Parivan Sewakarmi Sanmilita Mancha (MPSSM), Assam, and Workers Joint Manch was taken to take repercussions. These associations have wide membership, from tourist taxis to buses, mini-buses, lorries, oil tankers, etc.
In a press release, they said that the AKMTTA started restricting the free movement of vehicles at various tourist spots today and were harassing tourists. The Assam vehicles will not kowtow to the AKMTTA and would rather boycott Meghalaya completely. “We condemn these unjustified and selfish demands of theirs (AKMTTA’s),” the statement read.
The MPSSM has decided on “total non-cooperation”, which will come into effect from 5am on September 18, with no tourist vehicles travelling to Meghalaya from Assam due to the “security risks”.
It warned that Meghalaya-based taxi operators could face similar harassment when coming to Assam, especially Guwahati’s airport and railway station, and this boycott could lead to severe losses to Meghalaya’s tourism industry and allied sectors.
Bad publicity over this agitation has already led to cancellations of bookings, the MPSSM claimed. “Tourists have multiple options and, if such barriers persist, they will start to boycott Meghalaya and instead may choose international destinations or other hill stations like Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Bhutan, Leh-Ladakh, etc.”
The Meghalaya Tourism Development Forum (MTDF) and Meghalaya government have already expressed fears that the AKMTTA’s move could cause serious harm to the state’s economy, so much of which depends on tourism. However, their pleas have so far gone unheard.
“If this trend continues, Meghalaya tourism and its stakeholders may face a crisis. Tourism is a symbiotic business and only through collaboration can we ensure that the growth trend remains positive,” the MPSSM continued, ending with a parting shot directed at the AKMTTA and its desire to be “spoon fed instead of working on the growth of this industry and share benefits accordingly”.
