Panel asks tourism stakeholders to submit suggestions, to convene separate meeting with AKMTTA

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaOctober 16, 2024

A government constituted committee headed by Tourism director Cyril Diengdoh on Tuesday asked tourism stakeholders to submit their suggestions in writing before a decision can be arrived at to address their respective issues. 

The committee has also decided to hold separate meeting with the All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxis Association (AKMTTA) after they refused to attend its first meeting held today at the state convention centre.

The meeting was attended by different stakeholders including taxi associations, tour operators, hoteliers etc.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Diengdoh said, “This was the first meeting of the committee formed by the government to address the grievances of these associations. We have invited all the tourism stakeholders. All of them came and gave some valuable suggestions. We have asked them to give their suggestions in writing.”

He informed three of the tourist taxi associations – Meghalaya Tourist Transporters Association, All Shillong Tourist Taxi Drivers United Organization and the Khasi Hills Tourist Taxi Association – have attended the meeting. However, AKMTTA did not turned up for the meeting.

“I think they (AKMTTA) wanted a separate meeting. We will do that. We will call others also. There is no issue,” he said while adding that the committee will soon issue notices on the matter.

Asked, the tourism director said the committee is examining all the suggestions given by the stakeholders.

One of them is the use of private vehicles as taxis. 

“So we told the DTOs to please check and in fact we told the associations that if you have information that certain private people using private vehicles as taxis and this is geniune in the sense to those who are having taxis, why should they suffer as private people cannot run taxis its illegal,” Diengdoh said while adding “We told the associations if they have specific information to please give to the DTOs and they will carry out an enquiry and pass on the message to the district administration.”

“We are waiting for the suggestions and accordingly we will decide on the matter,” he added.