Newmai News Network
Shillong | February 2
Drivers and vehicle owners of the local taxi, tourist, city bus and sumo, under the umbrella of the All Meghalaya Commercial Vehicles Owner's and Driver's Union on Saturday held a meeting at football field Kynton U Mon, Lad Nongkrem.
The meeting saw the participation of 100 of drivers and vehicle owners from, Mawkyrwat, Nongstion, Mairang, Saw Sumper, Shillong region, Pynursla, Nongpoh, Bhoi Rymbong, Umsning, Jowai, Lad Rymbai, Mawkynrew, besides others.
The meeting discussed various hardships faced by the drivers and vehicle owners from high rate charge for the insurance to passenger tax, road tax, increase rate in petrol and diesel.
The union has taken a resolution to meet the concerned authority and to apprise the state government on the various hardships faced by the drivers and vehicle owners in the state and has warned the government not to take the union demands likely.
The association criticized in the meeting that the government has failed to revise the rate of the fare of commercial vehicles right from 2011 till date.
Stating that there is non-stop disturbance caused by the police traffic department towards the commercial vehicles while lifting and dropping the passengers and when loading and unloading agriculture materials causing great inconveniences especially to the farmers and people coming from rural areas, Union president Egenstar Kurkalang said, “The police also conduct regular checking of the local taxi, and Sumo or maxi cabs in Shillong for overloading but seldom checks the government registered red vehicles of the Urban Department that are always overloaded.”
He also said that the imposition of ‘No Entry’ in every location towards commercial vehicles is also unjustified since they also pay a high rate tax.
“There are no parking spaces or a pick-up or dropping points in every location in Shillong city and every time the drivers of commercial vehicles are either chase away, served with summoning slips, fined, their license seized, etc,” he alleged stating that the police department should also not conduct checking of vehicles at Anjelee petrol pump because the road is too narrow.
He also accused the DTO office of rampant issuing of license to non-tribal driving local taxi in the city that has affected the indigenous population.
He further pointed out that lack of regulation from the state government side allowing tourist vehicles to ply to every nook and corner of the state has badly affected the livelihood of local drivers.
“Even hotels, guest houses, lodges, etc use private vehicles to ferry the tourist to various tourist spots that have affected the commercial vehicles that have paid all the taxes imposed by the government,” he said.
The Union has also taken stock of the way of functioning of the toll gate of the National Highway Authority of India at Umling and alleged that it lacks system and procedure and overcharging vehicles that have badly affected commuters.
“The government should regulate the overcharging of the people at the toll gate,” he said adding that the government should also address the harassment of Tourist vehicles from Meghalaya by the Assam police.
Stating the rate of the HSRP plate is also too high, the Union has further suggested that local taxi should also be allowed to park in hospital in Shillong who comes to hospitalize ailing patients from rural areas.
