Taxi associations commit to peaceful dialogue; nodal committees, parking facilities and regular coordination proposed
Shillong, September 8: The Governments of Meghalaya and Assam have agreed to establish a coordinated mechanism to address grievances of tourist taxi operators in both states and prevent future disputes from disrupting interstate travel.
The decision followed a joint stakeholders’ meeting involving ministers, senior government officials and representatives of tourist taxi associations from the two neighbouring states. Seven associations from Assam and five from Meghalaya participated in the meeting.
The Meghalaya delegation was led by Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar, while Assam was represented by Tourism Minister Atul Bora.
The meeting was convened against the backdrop of tensions following the recent students’ union agitation in Shillong, during which several Assam-registered tourist vehicles were allegedly targeted and damaged.
Addressing a joint press conference after the meeting, Dhar described the discussions as constructive and successful. He said representatives from both states openly placed their grievances before the governments and agreed that future disputes should be resolved peacefully through dialogue.
Key issues discussed included the safety of drivers and passengers, designated parking facilities, access to airports and commercial centres, and operational difficulties faced by tourist taxis outside their home states.
Dhar said the authorities would examine the demand for designated parking spaces and other basic facilities for interstate tourist taxis. Both governments would also work towards ensuring that drivers transporting passengers between Assam and Meghalaya are not subjected to unnecessary harassment.
A committee headed by senior Transport Department officials will be constituted to receive and address complaints from taxi associations. The associations will be able to approach the committee whenever they encounter operational, safety or security-related problems.
Regular coordination meetings between government officials and representatives of the taxi associations have also been proposed to review pending matters and prevent minor disagreements from escalating into larger disputes.
Dhar expressed appreciation for the cooperative approach adopted by the participating associations and said the governments were committed to restoring confidence among taxi operators and ensuring the smooth movement of passengers and tourist vehicles between the two states.
“We are very happy that the issues were discussed peacefully. From today, we hope that normal movement will continue and such problems will not arise again,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister appealed to taxi operators and associations to maintain discipline, cooperate with the authorities and immediately report any problems through the agreed mechanism rather than resorting to road blockades or other forms of agitation.
The meeting concluded with a commitment from both sides to preserve the cordial relationship between Assam and Meghalaya and ensure that incidents affecting interstate tourist transport are not repeated.
