Shillong Oct 3: The Transport department was asked to remove all damaged and condemned maxi taxis being dumped at the base of the parking lot opposite SBI Main Branch within one week.

This directive came from the Meghalaya State Planning Board chairman, Lambor Malngiang after he received information from the Urban Affairs department on the status of the base of the parking lot there.

The Urban Affairs officials informed Malngiang that the base of the parking lot was used for keeping all damaged and condemned maxi taxis.

Malngiang said that according to officials of the Urban Affairs department, only 20 condemned maxi taxis were dumped there, and the department had written to the Transport Department since last year to remove them from the base of the parking lot.

“We have asked the Transport department to remove these condemned vehicles so that the base of the parking can be also utilised productively,” Malngiang said.

However a visit by a group of journalists to the base of the parking found that more than 20 maxi taxis were dumped there, and the area wore a scary look, and unhygienic.

Some of the damaged taxis also became a place for throwing of garbage.

The condition of the taxis was such that tyres, seats and various materials were no longer attached to the vehicles.

Sources said that many of the maxi taxis got damaged and subsequently condemned due to poor maintenance by the private operators who were asked to operate both these maxi taxis and JNNURM buses given by the Centre to the state.