Shillong,August 8: The Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJP youth wing) Meghalaya on Monday demanded the state government should implement the same guidelines for SPTS buses and maxi-cabs as being followed by local taxi and buses in Meghalaya in paying the various road taxes and insurance.
The BJYM has also threatened to stage a demonstration against the adamant attitude and one sidedness of the state government on the subject matter in the coming days.
Speaking to reports, Egenstar Kurkalang state president BJYM Meghalaya, said, “We demand that the same guidelines being implemented for local taxis and buses should apply for the SPTS buses and maxi-cabs in the state.”
According to him, countless complaints have been received by them from local taxi drivers and owners on the issue that state government is operating the STPS buses and maxi-cabs without even having to pay any taxes right from insurance.
Stating that bemusing part is that the transport department has exempted the SPTS buses and maxi-cabs from availing the insurance he said, “Insurance is very important for any passenger ferrying vehicle because in case of an accident the insurance will cover the medical expenditure of the passengers and driver.”
He said the state government in the past few years has debarred the general public to apply for local taxi permit by pointing out that there is a huge congestion in the roads.
“If there is congestion in the road then why the state government is bringing these STPS buses and maxi-cabs which has in turn deprived the unemployed youths of the state from making a living form taking up the taxi business,” he said.
He alleged that in some quarters the SPTS buses are charging more from passengers then locally owned buses and taxis that still have to pay the various taxes.
“We have met the Transport officer in June this year and he had assured us that the matter will be looked into however till date nothing has been done,” he said.
He added, “The bemusing thing is that these SPTS buses and maxi-cabs are plying the road for just for one or two years after that they are mostly out of order and we have learned that more than 22 vehicles are unable to undergo maintenance and if the government takes the initiative to maintain them it will incur high maintenance cost which will ultimately become a waste of public money.”
He further alleged that a large fleet of newly procured JNNURM buses are still lying idle at various parking spots in the city.
