Meghalaya: NGO stops Assam registered vehicles from ferrying people to tourist spots

Shillong, Jul 26: Assam registered tourist taxis were stopped at Umtyngngar by an NGO to ferry passengers to popular tourist destinations such as Sohra (Cherrapunjee) and Dawki on Friday.

The Assam-registered tourist taxis were turned away by the NFO, Hynniewtrep National Youth Federation (HNYF), at Umtyngngar, which is about 23 km from the state capital. This area has a diversion, with one road leading towards Dawki and the other to Sohra.

HNYF justified its decision to prevent Assam-registered vehicles, claiming the ferrying of tourists by outside vehicles is causing financial loss to local tourist operators.

The NGO also cited the example of Sikkim, where vehicles from West Bengal can’t proceed beyond Gangtok, Pelling, and Namchi.

Despite the presence of police, the HNYF members didn’t allow the tourist taxis, many with passengers, to proceed further, and they had to return. The NGO did allow Assam vehicles with private registration to move to the tourist spots.

This decision of the HNYF comes after the All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association (AKMTTA) sought a ban against “outside tourist vehicles" ferrying passengers to popular tourist destinations.

The AKMTTA, in a memorandum submitted to Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh earlier this month, said tourist taxis from outside the state can bring passengers to the state, but the right to ferry them to different tourist spots should be on the local tourist taxis.