Shillong: Assam-registered vehicles will be allowed to enter Meghalaya from Monday, Assam State Drivers Association president Dhrubaraj Asom said on Sunday, as the two states moved to ease tensions over cross-border commercial transport.
“Office bearers of All Khasi Drivers Association informed us tonight that they have decided to allow transit of Assam registered vehicles to Shillong and other places of the neighbouring state,” Dhrubaraaj said.
The decision followed a high-level meeting of Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbhalang Dhar with various drivers’ associations in Shillong on Sunday evening.
Dhar announced that senior transport officials of Assam and Meghalaya will meet on September 10 to address grievances over cross-border commercial transport and work out a long-term mechanism for the movement of vehicles between the two states.
The meeting will include the Transport Commissioners of Assam and Meghalaya and representatives of tourist taxi associations from both states, Dhar said.
The meeting follows complaints from Meghalaya-based commercial vehicle operators, particularly tourist taxi drivers, who have reported harassment, security threats and operational difficulties while travelling through Assam towards Guwahati.
Dhar made the announcement after a stakeholder consultation in Shillong attended by senior officials from the Transport and Home departments, the Deputy Commissioners of East Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi districts, the Superintendent of Police and local tourist taxi leaders.
During the meeting, taxi associations raised issues they said had persisted whenever Meghalaya-registered commercial vehicles travelled through Assam.
Dhar said the September 10 meeting would focus on establishing coordination between the two state administrations to facilitate the movement of commercial vehicles.
He also said the blockade recently enforced in Assam had been called off, allowing cross-border commercial traffic to resume.
Officials said broader policy guidelines and security protocols would be formulated based on the outcome of the September 10 meeting.
Earlier on Sunday, Assam-registered vehicles were reportedly stopped at Barapani and sent back while travelling towards Shillong.
Tourist taxi drivers under the banner of the All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association (AKMTTA) assembled at Lad Umroi to intercept and turn back Assam-registered commercial tourist vehicles.
The association is demanding that tourist taxis registered in Assam operate strictly within the state, while Meghalaya-registered taxis exclusively handle commercial tourist transport within Meghalaya.
AKMTTA president Ricaldinus Dohling said the Meghalaya government had invited the association for talks at the Secretariat. He said he would attend the meeting to press the association's demands and that its final stance would be decided after discussions with government officials.
However, Dohling said the association remained firm that “Meghalaya taxis will not operate in Assam, and Assam taxis should not be allowed to operate within Meghalaya.”
He said members would continue to remain at Lad Umroi to stop and turn back tourist vehicles until a concrete resolution was reached.
Dohling said the association had submitted a formal memorandum during meetings in 2023, but the government had offered only tea and snacks without providing a lasting solution.
The AKMTTA leadership said authorities must explicitly inform Assam commercial drivers that they are prohibited from operating in Meghalaya. Dohling warned that the association would intensify its agitation if the government failed to take a firm stand.
Addressing possible blockades from Assam, Dohling said that even if Meghalaya faced temporary hardships for a month or two, Assam would face long-term consequences.
He questioned why Meghalaya drivers could not take a strong stance when driver unions in Assam exert influence over their government. He reiterated the association's demand to halt outside tourist taxis at Jorabat and reserve local commercial transport for Meghalaya operators.
Members of a Meghalaya drivers’ association were reportedly involved in stopping the vehicles. Protests were also reported from several places in the state on Sunday.
The developments came a day after Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said an understanding reached between representatives of the two states in Guwahati would help restore normal conditions following the August 19 events in Shillong.
Officials from both governments attended the meeting at Koinadhara State Guest House in Guwahati, led by Assam Minister Atul Bora and Meghalaya Deputy Chief Minister Sniawbha Dhar.
The two sides agreed on steps to ensure the safe movement of tourists, passengers and vehicles between the states.
