The All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association (AKMTTA) has announced a rally to be held on September 18 at Malki Ground, Shillong, in protest against the state government’s stance on tourism and local transport policies.

The protest rally is meant to showcase the solidarity of tourist taxi associations across Meghalaya aiming to challenge the government’s perceived leniency toward Assam taxis ferrying visitors to key tourist spots in the state.

This issue sparked tensions between local taxi drivers and the government, particularly over the impact of Assam-based cabs on Meghalaya’s tourism sector.

The rally follows a contentious statement by Meghalaya’s Tourism Minister, Paul Lyngdoh, who claimed that a large number of taxi drivers in the state operate independently, without affiliation to any formal association.

This remark has been met with strong opposition from the AKMTTA, which accused the minister of misleading the public about the level of unity among the state’s taxi drivers.

AKMTTA President Ricaldinus Dohling emphasised the unified stance of the association, reiterating their demand to ban Assam tourist vehicles from ferrying passengers within Meghalaya’s tourist destinations. “Our rally will display the collective strength of taxi drivers in the state. We are united in our call to protect our livelihoods from the encroachment of Assam-based cabs,” he added.

This rally comes close on the heels of a week-long black flag protest organised by the association, which ended recently.

During the protest, taxi drivers expressed their discontent with the state government’s inaction on the growing presence of Assam tourist taxis. The association argues that allowing these taxis to operate freely not only threatens the local economy but also compromises on the livelihood of thousands of taxi drivers who depend on tourism.

In a direct response to Minister Lyngdoh’s defence that Assam plays a vital role in generating tourism revenue for Meghalaya, Dohling criticised the government for its over-reliance on Assam for key services.

He highlighted that many Meghalaya residents are forced to travel to Assam for essential healthcare services, often at great personal cost.

“It seems the government is content with dependence on Assam for everything, from healthcare to education, rather than developing its own infrastructure,” Dohling remarked.

This conflict points to broader issues of infrastructure and development in Meghalaya, where the state’s dependency on neighboring Assam has long been a point of contention.

Despite the crucial role that Assam’s infrastructure — such as the Guwahati airport and railway station — plays in boosting Meghalaya’s tourism, local taxi associations argue that the state government should focus on creating a more self-sufficient and sustainable revenue model that prioritizes the interests of its citizens and local businesses.

The AKMTTA’s rally is expected to draw significant participation from taxi drivers across Meghalaya, many of whom feel marginalised by policies that favor outside operators. The rally aims to send a strong message to the government that local transport workers are united in their demand for fair regulations that protect their livelihoods and the local economy.

As the debate continues, the association remains steadfast in its opposition to the state’s policies, calling for concrete measures to address their grievances and ensure that Meghalaya’s tourism sector benefits its local stakeholders first and foremost.