Shillong: Tourist vehicle movement between Meghalaya and Assam resumed on Tuesday after a week-long blockade.Tourism minister Timothy D Shira said the dispute between the states’ tourist taxi associations was resolved after road blockades followed the Aug 19 violence and vandalism during a black-flag bike rally of the Khasi Students Union in Shillong.The blockade halted tourist inflow to Meghalaya, Shira said.He said chief minister-level intervention ended the impasse. “There was discussion between the Meghalaya and Assam CMs and the issue was resolved, so there should not be any more ban or blockade now,” he added.Shira said the associations should allow vehicles from the neighbouring state to operate.Meghalaya govt will compensate for damage caused to Assam tourist taxis during the dispute. “Whatever damage was caused to Assam vehicles will be compensated by the Meghalaya govt. There should not be any more issues with that,” he told the media.However, the govt will not compensate hoteliers or home-stay operators who suffered losses from booking cancellations.Shira urged people to act cautiously, warning that actions in Meghalaya could trigger reactions in Assam.
