Nukhosa Chüzho
Kohima
Not only do the politicians and the voters commit political adultery during election; even taxis and its drivers love to fornicate with money during election in Nagaland.
At a quarter past two on January 5, 2018, we (I and my sister) landed at Chumu Taxi stand and headed straight to the Counter to book our tickets to Kohima. No one was inside the Counter. On seeing that there were 4-5 Taxis being parked in the parking lot, we enquired as to which Taxi would first leave and to which we were told that there were no Taxis available unless some Taxis did arrive from Kohima. Few minutes had lapsed into hour as more passengers accumulated as we waited to get our tickets.
Out of nowhere, a gentleman appeared and patted my shoulder saying “Kohima jabole aseh?” I affirmatively replied. We exchanged few words and he assured us that (as he generally does so) he would drop us to Kohima since pliable taxis were in short supply due to current requisitioning of vehicles by the concerned authority (for election duty). Meantime, he had conversations with other stranded co-passengers where two more passengers came forward and we boarded his vehicle for onward journey to Kohima, hoping that the fare would be at an approved rate. That gentleman handed a Rs 100 bill to the station master / supervisor (????) and we started our inglorious journey.
We moved out and that gentleman (on the wheel) unsuspectingly apprised us that he had to pay 100 rupees (Rs 50 as approved parking tax plus Rs 50 as bonus to those who manned the station by the private – without permit – taxis), to contemptuously make it as his basis to fetch higher fares. Well after we crossed the Patkai Bridge, he, again, went on to state that since his return journey would be without passengers, he had to charge us double the amount of the fixed fare from Kohima to Dimapur. We all stood amazed at the sight of a stereotyped conservative and a lodor Chakhesang (the Driver) suddenly turned into, and camouflaged in, a sophisticated Lotha Chalak (pun intended) on every step we leapt forward. (I was left bewildered at the sight of a Chakhesang driver who exceptionally possessed a gut to have tricked his passengers to paying him double the approved fare. Are Chakhesangs traditionally as money-minded as that?). We ended the journey by paying him 400 rupees per passenger. Felt agitated, yet we the common people are left with no alternative but to remain submissive as we shall continue to depend on public transportation system to get our work done. In order to better operate the booming but neglected transportation sector in our State, following suggestions are made for the managing agency (ANTA) and the government for kind perusal –
(i) In spite of the taxis being available at the Station, some drivers, with a pernicious intention to let the passengers end up paying them above the rated fare for to and fro journeys when all the other options are exhausted, assume an arrogant attitude and stop plying on alternate mode. ANTA, being the manager, should not only concern with collection and raise in fare yet the agency ought to identify such drivers and resorting to application of stern actions – including recommending termination of driving licence and taxi permit of the erring drivers to the government - to facilitate means of conveyance more reliable and public-friendly.
(ii) As the managing agency, ANTA should own responsibility for permission granted to the private taxis. As that gentleman had admitted to paying the Association (above the fixed amount of parking tax), it is an established fact that few private taxi drivers are in cahoots with some association’s agents to unethically mint few bucks. Conversely, the ANTA, due to the actions of some of its unscrupulous agents, stands on a losing spree whose yoke will ultimately let loose against its esteemed clients. ANTA must overhaul its existing system of operation (lax and arrogant attitude of its drivers, checking private taxis, ensuring alternate movement of taxis, catering service to its stranded passengers etc.), since the extant mode of operation is partly responsible for off-the-mark service and in losing the confidence of the public.
(iii) There are hundreds of youths – educated and semi-skilled – willing to embark on sectors like transport and services to earn their livings. If the presently engaged drivers continue to derelict their call of catering to the needs of the vast majority, let their permits and licences be cancelled in an attempt to create an opportunity to the enterprising new generation to take a stride. If the watchword of the government officials lamenting that jobs in government sector are saturated means business, transport and services sector is one avenue where our youth can foray into when the government revamps the system by upgrading our existing infrastructure.
(iv) Space should be created for new operating agencies in public transportation system to take on with the existing agency/ies so as to introduce the most competitive service in the market and to offer the best ride to the public.
