Shillong: The agitation by the All Khasi Meghalaya Tourist Taxi Association (AKMTTA), restricting entry of Assam-registered tourist taxis to Meghalaya’s tourist spots, has hit hard the livelihoods of small vendors at Mawkdok.
A ground report by T7 News revealed that the usually busy Shillong–Dawki road now lies deserted, with rows of roadside stalls standing empty. Vendors who once sold dozens of broomsticks daily said sales have dropped drastically — from “tens of bundles a day” to barely three.
Women vendors at Mawkdok expressed anguish, stating that they previously earned well from tourists arriving in Assam vehicles, but now their families struggle to get by. Normally, tourist taxis begin arriving at 7 AM, but in recent days, even by late afternoon, very few visitors have come through.
The crisis has not only affected broomstick sellers but also local eateries and shops along the route, all of which rely heavily on tourist traffic. The blockade, they said, has dried up their main source of income.
