Meghalaya Government to Hold Talks with Assam by September 10 to Resolve Taxi Dispute

Shillong, August 23: The Meghalaya Government on Sunday held an urgent meeting with tourist taxi associations in an effort to ease tensions and restore the free movement of vehicles between Meghalaya and Assam following the violence during the Khasi Students’ Union’s (KSU) black-flag motorcycle rally on August 19.

The meeting, chaired by Deputy Chief Minister and Transport Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar at the State Secretariat, was attended by senior officials from the Home and Transport departments, representatives of the All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association (AKMTTA), the All Shillong Tourist Taxi Association and other transport organisations.

Tensions escalated after several Assam-registered vehicles were allegedly damaged during the KSU rally in Shillong. In response, tourist taxi operators in Assam reportedly stopped Meghalaya-registered vehicles from proceeding and forced passengers to disembark, severely disrupting transportation between the two neighbouring states.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Dhar said the government and the taxi associations had reached an understanding to restore the free movement of vehicles. He expressed confidence that tourist taxis from both Meghalaya and Assam would now be able to operate normally without obstruction.

The Deputy Chief Minister said the taxi associations had responded positively to the government’s appeal and agreed to cooperate in maintaining peace. He thanked their representatives for supporting efforts to resolve the dispute and prevent further hardship for passengers, tourists and drivers.

Dhar also announced that the Meghalaya Government would hold discussions with the Assam Government by September 10 to work towards a lasting solution to the interstate tourist taxi dispute.

He said a separate meeting would also be convened with Meghalaya’s Transport Commissioner and other senior officials to examine the long-standing difficulties faced by tourist taxi operators in the state.

On the issue of Assam-registered vehicles damaged during the August 19 rally, Dhar said the Transport Department had been directed to prepare a detailed list of the affected vehicles. The assessment is expected to be completed within a week, following which the government will examine the issue of compensation and take appropriate action.

The Deputy Chief Minister appealed to taxi operators and the public in both states not to target innocent drivers and passengers over the actions of a few individuals.

He said the government’s immediate priority was to restore normal transport services, ensure the safety of travellers and protect peaceful relations between Meghalaya and Assam.