Tourist cabbies call off strike
By Our Reporter
SHILLONG: In a major relief to daily commuters along the Shillong-Guwahati road, the Greater Shillong Tourist Transporters’ Association (GSTTA) has finally decided to call off its 12-day strike from Saturday.
The move to call off the indefinite strike was taken after the State Government allowed parking for tourist taxis at the Polo parking lot as a ‘stockyard’, besides allowing “brief stopover” at the Municipal parking lot near Anjalee Cinema hall.
The tourist taxi operators had been on strike for the last 12 days in protest against the district administration’s directive to shift the parking of tourist taxis from Khyndai Lad (Police Bazar) to the Polo parking lot, citing lack of basic amenities.
GSTTA president Sowny Khyriem said the East Khasi Hills Deputy Commissioner, Jopthiaw Lyngdoh, has also given an assurance to allow Shillong-bound drivers to directly drop passengers coming from Guwahati at the Municipal parking lot without diverting via the Mawlai route.
The Deputy Commissioner will shortly convene a meeting to immediately explore the possibilities of identifying pick-up and dropping points for the tourist taxis inside the city.
Interestingly, Shillong-based tourist vehicles that run on petrol will not be allowed to park at the new makeshift arrangement because they had moved the court regarding the issue.
Sources said, “They moved the court; the matter is pending there now. Only the court can arbitrate the matter for them.”
On October 22 last, the Deputy Commissioner had issued a notification for all tourist taxis to be shifted to Polo Ground latest by October 24.
Disappointed, the GSTTA rejected the decision and decided to call for an indefinite strike that started from October 25.
Now, much to everyone’s relief, the tourist taxi drivers’ protest will end on Saturday, finally ending the miseries faced by hapless, helpless commuters on the arterial route.
Source: The Shillong Times
