Better facilities at mainline stand and more stops along highway figure in wishlist

MAINLINE TAXI AND BUS ASSOCIATIONS’ APEX BODY CONVENES FIRST MEETING 
GANGTOK, 20 July: The Sikkim Main Line Managing Cooperative Society [SMLMCS] convened its first meeting to discuss the management of the mainline stand at Deorali and other issues related to the stand and drivers. The Society has decided to submit memorandums to all concerned departments on different issues discussed at the meeting. 
SMLMCS was formed in February earlier this year and is an apex body of nine Mainline Taxi and Bus associations. The main objective of the society is to work as a parent body for proper management of the Mainline Taxi Stand and to work for the welfare of the mainline taxi drivers.
The main aim of today’s meeting was to place and discuss various issues and problems related to the taxi stand and drivers with representatives of Tourism Department, Motor Vehicle Division, Traffic Police, Sadar Thana and Gangtok Municipal Corporation.
In the meeting, the society members pointed out the need for a waiting room and benches for passengers and recreation room for drivers at the stand. It is informed that the GMC has already taken up the responsibility of maintaining the toilets and water supply in the taxi stand. The meeting discussed various other issues and problems related to drivers and passengers.
The Society urged the Traffic police to increase the number of bus and taxi stops from Ranipool to Gangtok as there are very few stops along this route and has been causing inconvenience to the public.
It is informed that the society has already provided ID cards to its members but still some unauthorized persons are fleecing people at the stand in the society’s name. On the same, the society has requested the Sadar Thana to look into this problem.
The Society has requested the Tourism Department to provide dust bins and beautification of the stand. They have also thanked the Motor Vehicle Division for increasing the fare rates and expressed their regret to passengers for the hike in fares.
In view of the poor attendance at today’s meeting, the society appealed to the drivers to attend the next meeting in order to discuss their problems and find possible solutions.
The Society is led by Nima Gyalpo Tamang as president, Karma Gyurmee Bhutia and Tenzing Bhutia as vice-presidents, Prashant Lamichaney as general secretary, Pempa Tshering Bhutia as joint secretary, Dorjee Dadul Bhutia as treasurer and Yogesh Cintury and Kul Bahadur Gurung as publicity secretary.