Meghalaya taxi association slams govt for 'leaning' on Assam for revenue

Guwahati, Sept 15: The All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association (AKMTTA) has slammed the Meghalaya government for failing to develop the state’s revenue-generation model.

The association's comments come in response to recent statements by Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh, who highlighted Assam's role as a major revenue generator for Meghalaya.

Ricaldinus Dohling, President of AKMTTA, expressed frustration with the government’s perceived dependence on Assam, criticising its lack of effort to foster local tourism infrastructure.

“It seems, through this statement, the Meghalaya government does not want to develop the state and prefers to rely on Assam for everything, thus inconveniencing the public who are forced to spend their money outside,” Dohling said.

Earlier, Minister Lyngdoh had noted that Assam's facilities, including the Guwahati airport and railway station, are crucial for tourism in Meghalaya.

This “dependence” has fuelled ongoing demands for a ban on Assam-registered tourist vehicles operating beyond Shillong to tourists destinations, leading to a week-long “black flag” protest by the AKMTTA.

The protest, which concluded on Saturday, saw members of the association voicing their discontent over the government’s alleged reluctance to enhance local infrastructure such as hospitals and educational institutions.

Dohling further criticised the state government for not addressing the financial burden placed on local residents who travel to Guwahati for medical treatment, “often spending Rs. 5,000-6,000 per day on vehicle hire”.

Despite multiple representations sent to the government over the past year, the association claims that their concerns have been met with inaction and a lack of dialogue.

The controversy has been worsened by incidents earlier in July when the Hynniewtrep National Youth Federation (HNYF) halted Assam-registered tourist taxis at Umtyngngar, approximately 23 km from the state capital.

The group justified their actions by arguing that allowing outside vehicles to transport tourists to popular destinations such as Sohra (Cherrapunjee) and Dawki results in financial losses for local operators.