Taxi drivers object to SNT buses for sightseeing, confident that Gangtok-Darshan will be scrapped

GANGTOK, 05 May: The Central Joint Action Committee of the Local Taxi Driver’s Association [Gangtok] called on the Transport Minister, TT Bhutia, today and submitted an application seeking that the State government’s proposal to launch the Gangtok Darshan Bus Service in the capital be scrapped.
“After we learnt of the Gangtok Darshan bus service for tourists by the Sikkim Nationalised Transport [SNT], we immediately called on the Transport Minister,” informs Chung Chung Bhutia [president, CJAC of LTDA]. The Minister, in turn gavethem a verbal assurance that he would look into the matter and put the proposal on hold, the president added.
“Today, we called on the Minister again and have also put up a formal application regarding this matter, which was then forwarded to the Secretary, Transport Department, who sent the application to the Principal Chief Engineer and again has gone to the Minister for scrutiny,” the president said and added that the Minister has also assured to call on the Chief Minister and discuss the issue with him.

This Gangtok Darshan bus service initiative has been taken by the department under the 100 days programme of the Chief Minister and the Youth Mission 2015. A 30-seater bus is being offered for bus tours of the capital under it.
“One bus can carry 30 people; this would mean seven taxis going out of service, meaning seven taxi drivers will lose their earnings on a daily basis,” the president explained. “Earlier when the City Runner was started by the government, we did not say anything because we understood that not all people can afford a taxi, then they started the luxury taxi service, here too we kept quite as this was an added benefit for the tourists, but now, if they start the Gangtok Darshan bus service this will hit us directly and hence we have no option but to go against this decision of the government,” he added.
“Actually we are thankful to the Chief Minister because after he came to power, many financial institution’s have come to Sikkim, who offer loans to educated unemployed youth and this has made it easier for us [taxi drivers] to avail and become self-reliant. Another facility started by the State government of giving loans to youth upto Rs. 10 Lakhs is an added benefit for all of us,” the president further said.
“We will wait and see what steps the government takes because we have submitted the application to the Minister and he has assured us of taking action, moreover he has also said that he will meet the Chief Minister and discuss the issue and only then will we see what needs to be done by us,” the president informed.