Shillong cabbies in distress in view of COVID standard operational protocol

STAFF CORRESPONDENT

SHILLONG: The local taxis in Shillong are playing on an odd-even number in view of the COVID standard operational protocol imposed by the District administration.

While the taxis are operating as per the SOP, the difficulty lies in the fact that they are plying the taxis without any salary. "We are now working on the basis of paying the cab owners at the rate of Rs 500 per day and the additional amount we earned is ours," stated two taxi drivers who carry passengers from Polo to Nongmynsong every alternate day, even as they mentioned about the difficulty in making both ends meets on a bad day. This is the experience of most of the taxi drivers in Shillong since the COVID protocol came into place.

Sharing their plight since the lockdown which they called as miserable, many other cabbies are wondering on how the State Run State Transport Public Services (STPS) buses and the Meghalaya-run taxis breached all protocols. "We are being penalized for having more than three passengers but no action is being taken against these public service vehicles run by the government," ruled the taxi drivers.

Right from the plight during the lockdown, till today there has been no intervention from the authorities.

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