Shillong, July 26: The Hynniewtrep National Youth Federation (HNYF) on Friday took action against tourist taxis with Assam registration, turning them back from the Umtyngngar area. These vehicles were barred from proceeding towards popular tourist destinations such as Sohra and Dawki.
The HNYF’s decision comes in response to allegations that local vehicles are being prevented from ferrying passengers to these destinations. The organization has declared that it will not allow vehicles with Assam registration (AS) to transport tourists to these areas.
Many tourist vehicles with AS registration were turned back. In response, the police and district administration have been deployed to the area to assess the situation and maintain order.
Even with the authorities’ presence, the HNYF did not allow Assam-registered tourist vehicles to proceed to these tourist spots.
HNYF members argued on permits as per MRSSA and citied Sikkim model, where tourist taxis from other states are not allowed beyond Gangtok, Pelling and Namchi.
However, private vehicles with Assam registration were allowed to proceed ahead.
Mentionably, Sikkim and West Bengal government had signed an agreement in 2007 on allowing West Bengal registered tourist cabs to drop passengers at Gangtok, Pelling and Namchi. but that agreement was annulled by the West Bengal Govt in 2017 after Sikkim failed to respond to the concerns of the Bengal Govt on tourist taxis from the neighboring state. However, it is already a well established norm to drop passengers at the three main town in Sikkim, beyond which local taxis ferry them.
In July this year, though, West Bengal Govt started imposing fine on Sikkim’s commercial vehicles coming to its area for not having special permits, in reciprocation to similar fines on Bengal’s vehicles in the Himalayan State. And these fine range in Rs 3000 to 4000 per vehicle. Roughly 3000 vehicles take passengers to Sikkim every day from West Bengal.
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