Angami Youth Organisation's taxi verification drive in Kohima reveals permits held by minors and government employees, raising serious concerns.
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KOHIMA — The local and zonal taxi verification drive undertaken by the Angami Youth Organisation (AYO) allegedly uncovered multiple loopholes.
Among several cases, they found that a single individual had eight taxi permits issued in his name; taxi permits were also issued to two minors, aged seven and eight years; and some government employees had taxi permits registered under their names.
Addressing a press conference on Saturday at their office in Kohima, the AYO officials informed that during their 12-day verification drive, they found that many taxi permits had expired, and although the permit must be renewed every five years, some taxis had been plying for decades without renewing their taxi permits.
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They also discovered that taxi permits had been issued to two minors, aged seven and eight years. Additionally, during permit renewal, some taxi permits were renewed by proxy, and even though the permit is non-transferable, the permits had been passed down to seven to eight people in some cases.
They also learnt that many of the taxis did not obtain their permits through the proper procedure but had bought the permits from other individuals at a cost ranging from INR 70,000 to INR 95,000.
They stated that if genuine and deserving individuals go through the proper channels for the taxi permit, it would cost only a nominal amount of not more than INR 3,000, following all procedures. They opined that there may be some individuals acting as brokers between the permit buyers and the department and therefore asserted that the concerned authorities should look into the matter.
Also, if taxi permits are being given to create employment, they questioned how some government employees were able to acquire taxi permits and how one individual could have multiple taxi permits. They also came across cases where many members of a family had taxi permits registered, and in another case, a single individual had eight taxi permits registered in his name.
Further, they informed that during the verification drive, a total of 2,412 vehicles were verified and stickers issued, of which only 812 taxis were with the first owner and the remaining 1,569 had transferred owners.
They also learnt that 448 taxi permits were issued after NL01TA0703. There are 544 non-Naga drivers, and the number of taxi owners who are non-indigenous inhabitants of Nagaland is 115. They also discovered that 1,109 permit owners are driving their own taxis.
During their drive, some permit holders also openly claimed that they obtained their taxi permits through a minister’s connection. Many taxi drivers were also plying without the All Nagaland Taxi Association (ANTA) ID card.
To the concerned department, they suggested that henceforth, if taxi permits are to be issued, candidates should be interviewed so that genuine individuals can drive their own taxis and earn.
Calls for state motor transport policy
The AYO officials asked the state government to table a bill in the state assembly to establish their own motor transport policy.
They also declared that since the verification drive is over, they will assume that taxis which have not come for verification do not have proper documents, and henceforth, from today, they will not be allowed to ply.
They warned that if any such taxis without verification stickers are caught, whatever action the AYO takes against such defaulters, the taxi owners will be held solely responsible. They also urged citizens to use taxis that have verified stickers.
Defends taxi verification drive
Responding to various accusations made by citizens against them for undertaking the verification drive, the AYO clarified that in 2024 they filed an RTI at the Regional Transport Office (RTO), and the reply they received was not satisfactory for various reasons.
According to AYO, they learnt that after the government order issued on July 6, 2022, stating that no taxi permits were to be issued, more than 577 taxi permits were illegally issued, surpassing the government standing order.
Although taxi permits should be issued to unemployed and deserving candidates, there were many discrepancies; therefore, they had to undertake the verification drive and question the concerned department.
Another reason, they claimed, is that in Kohima, almost all the empty spaces are occupied as taxi stands, so they also hoped that the verification would create more space. More than 3,000 taxis are plying in Kohima, and as an NGO and local guardian, they found themselves responsible at least to create space and do something good for the people.
Further, they learnt that some vehicles were plying as taxis without documents. After registration, the vehicles were simply painted like taxis and were plying as such.