SHILLONG, AUG 11: Local cab owners and drivers under the banner of the East Khasi Hills Local Taxis and Welfare Association (EKHLTWA) on Thursday observed a black flag day in protest against the centre’s recent decision to hike the premium for vehicle insurance.
Over 5000 local cabbies were seen fitted with black flags as they ferry passengers in the different parts of the city and its outskirts.
The Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) had increased the vehicle insurance premiums making it difficult for the cabbies to afford it.
According to the association, the move to increase the “third party” insurance premium from Rs 6,556 to Rs 13,300 is unacceptable.
A delegation of the EKHLTWA also submitted a memorandum to the state transport minister HDR Lyngdoh seeking his intervention in addressing the various issues concerning the local taxi owners and drivers.
In the letter, the association general secretary Wandonbok Jyrwa said, “While the taxi owners have to pay different types of taxes and wages to drivers, the government in the name of public interest is encouraging use JNNURM buses as commercial vehicles without valid documents which is purely illegal in nature as per Motor Vehicle Act, 1988.”
Demanding the government to issue direction to stop issuing of fresh rural permit, he said that the present decision to issue such type of permit will bring a lot of confusion among the permit holders and taxi drivers due to absence of proper demarcation in specific region.
There are also rumour misleading that only rural taxis are able to park in Shillong city and as a result of this, market prices of these permits rise to Rs 50,000 each, he said while adding that but as per MV Act it clearly indicated that there is no sub-section to prohibit the vehicle to ply in any area/route since the permit is being issued by the same district authority.
The association also expressed concern over the indiscriminate increase of – no entry, no parking, and no stopping zones for local taxis in the different parts of the city while allowing private vehicles to such restricted areas.
Terming this as unfair and unjust since commercial vehicles have to pay huge taxes to the government, he said, “We feel that it is necessary for the government to have proper consultation with traffic police to ease traffic congestion not only on the road side but instruct officer to park their vehicles in office parking.”
Moreover, the association also said that the government should also have proper consultation with the private educational institutions and put pressure on them to produce more school buses in order to ease traffic jam by not allowing government & private vehicles to drop school children.
On the other hand, Jyrwa said that the failure of the government to construct parking place for 3 state tourist vehicles have pave way for these vehicles to get extra earning by transporting people who come to Shillong as tourists for sightseeing.
“The hotels in Shillong also used private cars as their tourist carrier which needs to be properly addressed by the government to enable local taxi driver earn better income,” he said.
Meanwhile, the EKHLTWA has also demanded the government to declare February 12 of every year as a ‘driver’s day’. “This will be the day that drivers can take pride of their services and celebrate their profession,” Jyrwa added.-By Our Reporter
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