Aizawl learns to do without cabs, buses 

Aizawl, Sep 15 : With the taxi strike being joined by city buses today, public transportation is badly hit in the state capital of Mizoram. 

Starting from Monday, the city’s cabbies, under the aegis of Mizoram Road Transport Union (MRTU), stayed off the roads in protest against the government’s proposal to have the city’s 4000-odd taxis ply in rotation. 

In support of the taxis’ agitation, the Aizawl City Bus Owners’ Association, which is also affiliated to the MRTU, pulled off the roads making the otherwise congested city wear a deserted look. 

The indefinite strike of the two major public transportation systems had prompted the government and put various department buses into operation from today.  

Government sources said 56 state-owned buses were plying today to mitigate the inconvenience. 

In a bid to ease the increasing traffic snarls in the city, the government had proposed rotational service for the taxis from September 14, according to which each taxi has four days a week, excluding Sundays, to operate.  

This had been strongly objected to by the taxis and insisted it is their right to work everyday.  

Even as the maxi-cabs and all other passengers vehicles threatened to join the strike, the government today made it very clear that it would go ahead with its decision. 

Expressing deep regret over the situation created by the public transporters, a government statement today appealed the agitators to get back to work before September 17. 

''All the city buses and taxis are requested to resume operations latest by the morning of September 17 as per their agreement to abide by the government’s policy at the time they obtained permits. 

Failing this will invite necessary actions from the government,'' the official statement said. 

Meanwhile, the MRTU also determined to go ahead with the agitation until and unless the government takes back its decision. 

''All the other passenger vehicles will join the strike tomorrow,'' MRTU president Lalhmunmawia said. 

''We are very much aware of the increasing traffic congestion in the city. But, why only public carriers are held responsible. If the government had asked the private vehicles to ply in rotation, we would have no hesitation to ply in rotation,'' the MRTU president said. 

Acting Chief Minister H Liansailova also made a fervent appeal to the agitating cabbies and city buses to call off their strike for the interest of the public.  

He also apologised for whatever inconvenience that might have been caused to the public. 

''Concerned over the increasing traffic jams in the city, the government has made this proposal after much deliberation and consultation for the larger interest of the public. I appeal the taxis and city buses to withdraw and obey the government’s order,'' the acting CM said.