Guwahati, Sept 17: The ongoing row over restrictions on Assam-registered tourist vehicles in Meghalaya has taken a sharp turn, with the Motor Parivan Sewakarmi Sanmilita Manch, Assam (MPSSM) announcing a total non-cooperation movement from 5:00 am on September 18. The decision comes in response to what the body terms as “unjustified and selfish” demands by the All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association (AKMTTA) to ban tourist vehicles from outside Meghalaya.

The Assam-based platform represents tourist cab operators (Dzire, Tata Sumo, Innova, Travellers), bus operators, and tanker drivers across the state. They argue that their vehicles already hold valid three-state permits covering Assam, Meghalaya, and Arunachal Pradesh, with some even having all-India permits. “Despite this, our vehicles are being restricted, stopped, and harassed at tourist spots in Meghalaya. If this continues, we will not send any vehicles into Meghalaya,” the body said.

According to MPSSM, the restrictions could cause a ripple effect across the region’s tourism industry, particularly as Meghalaya tour operators depend on tourists arriving via Guwahati’s airport and railway station. “Such disruptions could severely impact hotels, restaurants, street vendors, petrol pumps, toll gates, and sightseeing operators, triggering losses that could spread through social media and damage Meghalaya’s reputation globally,” the statement warned.

The stand-off has already led to a wave of booking cancellations. Several B2B travel agents have reportedly altered itineraries to avoid Meghalaya and focus instead on destinations like Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Bhutan, and Ladakh. “If barriers persist, tourists will boycott Meghalaya altogether,” MPSSM said, cautioning that the state risks long-term fallout.

The association emphasized that tourism is a “symbiotic business” involving multiple stakeholders—from homestays and hotels to guides, drivers, and street vendors. “No single group can hold the entire industry hostage. Tourism in Meghalaya has been built over decades by collective effort, and it cannot be dismantled due to vested interests,” the statement said.

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