Shillong , July 18: The Two Wheelers Taxi Association (TWTA) on Monday met with the Commissioner and Secretary of Transport department and requested to allow the two wheelers to ply as commercial vehicles until the department comes out with new permit.

Speaking to media persons, general secretary of TWTA Khrawkular Mawkon said that most of the riders are self-employed young men and women whose only source of livelihood for some time has been in providing two wheeler taxi services and the ban on the services has put most of them in great distress.

Mawkon said that many of them have taken loans to buy bikes and scooters and with the ban on the two wheeler bike services by the government, the youth are staring at a bleak future as to how they will pay back the loans.

“We are not aware that the government has any specific notified rules about commercial permits for two wheeler taxis, therefore government should immediately issue interim orders and allow us to ply our two wheeler taxi services,” said Mawkon.

Mawkon said that the state government should suitably amend Meghalaya Taxi Aggregator Operational Rules, 2020 to allow rider owned associations/SHGS and Co-operatives to operate such aggregator services with the support from the government.

He added that the government should help the association through the start up brand to create aggregator apps which are responsive to the local conditions and for the welfare of the riders.

“We also demand that there should be designated bike taxi stand in all important areas of the cities and towns for two Wheeler Taxi service,” he added.