Shillong, Sept 18: The All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Association and the All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association (AKMTTA) held a public rally at Malki Ground on Wednesday, voicing their opposition to the state government’s policies on tourism and transportation. They called for restrictions on Assam-registered vehicles transporting tourists to popular destinations in Meghalaya, a demand they have repeatedly raised.

During the rally, the associations decided to submit a memorandum to Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, urging the state to limit out-of-state tourist vehicles’ operations. They set a one-week deadline for the government to respond, threatening to organize a peace rally and possibly a hunger strike if no action is taken.

Balajied Jyrwa, a member of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), clarified that their goal is not to completely ban vehicles from other states but to regulate where commercial vehicles drop off tourists. When asked about the potential for Assam to restrict Meghalaya taxis in response, Jyrwa noted that Meghalaya cabs typically do not operate in Assam’s tourist areas.

As part of their protest, the associations organized a “Black Flag Week” to signal their dissatisfaction with the government’s lack of action. They also criticized Tourism Minister Paul Lyngdoh’s statement that only 3,000 tourist vehicles operate in the state, asserting that the actual number is much higher.