The Meghalaya government has called a meeting with various tourist taxi associations and unions at the State Secretariat on Sunday, amid an ongoing standoff over the movement of Assam-registered tourist vehicles into the state. The meeting comes as the All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association (AKMTTA) continues to block Assam-registered tourist vehicles at Umiam. This is despite an understanding between the Assam and Meghalaya governments allowing Meghalaya-registered tourist vehicles to enter Assam.
The AKMTTA has questioned the Meghalaya government’s approach to resolving the issue. The association alleges that while the government engaged with stakeholders in Assam and gave assurances on inter-state vehicle movement, the concerns of Meghalaya’s tourist taxi operators were not addressed with the same urgency. The association has also raised concerns about the government’s lack of direct communication with drivers protesting at Umiam.
They claim that the government did not engage with the protesting drivers before reaching an understanding on the movement of tourist vehicles between the two states. The AKMTTA further alleged that the convoy of Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar did not stop at the protest site at Umiam. The AKMTTA maintains that the lack of direct communication with the stakeholders at the centre of the dispute has contributed to the continuing impasse.
The government’s meeting with tourist taxi associations on Sunday is expected to focus on addressing their concerns and finding a way forward on the movement of tourist vehicles between Assam and Meghalaya.
