KD NEWS SERVICE
JAMMU, Dec 29: In a significant relief for tourist taxi operators in Kashmir, Minister for Transport, Jammu and Kashmir, Shri Satish Sharma on Sunday assured that all genuine issues raised by the Kashmir Tourist Drivers Coordination Committee would be addressed within a fixed timeframe of 15 days.
The assurance was given during a detailed meeting held in the chambers of the Transport Minister in Jammu, where concerns affecting hundreds of tourist drivers operating across the Kashmir Valley were discussed threadbare. The meeting was attended by MLA and President of the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), J&K, Shri M.Y. Tarigami, along with senior officers of the Transport Department, including the Secretary, Transport.
During the deliberations, representatives of the Kashmir Tourist Drivers Coordination Committee flagged several pressing issues confronting the tourist taxi sector, which plays a crucial role in Kashmir’s tourism-driven economy. A major demand raised during the meeting was the introduction of a uniform colour-coding system for tourist taxis in Jammu and Kashmir, on the lines of the systems already in place in states such as Delhi, Maharashtra and others.
The Coordination Committee emphasized that a standardized colour-coding system would help tourists and passengers easily identify authorized and registered tourist taxis, thereby enhancing passenger safety and confidence. They pointed out that such a measure would also help curb the growing menace of unauthorized and fake taxis operating without valid permits, which not only affects the livelihood of genuine drivers but also poses serious safety and regulatory challenges.
The Committee further highlighted that uniform colour-coding would improve overall regulation of the taxi sector, promote accountability among operators, and bring greater professionalism to tourist transport services in the Union Territory. They argued that strengthening the tourist transport ecosystem is essential for sustaining tourism growth and ensuring a positive experience for visitors to Kashmir.
Responding to the concerns, Minister Satish Sharma acknowledged the legitimacy of the issues raised by the tourist drivers. He stated that while the matter involves certain policy-level decisions, the Transport Department would initiate immediate steps to examine and resolve the issues within a fortnight. The Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting the interests of genuine transport operators while ensuring safety, transparency and orderly functioning of the sector.
Abdul Rashid Pandit, Secretary, CITU, J&K, along with Owais Ahmad and Mudassar Ahmad, Chairman and President of the Kashmir Tourist Drivers Coordination Committee respectively, represented the association during the meeting and presented their demands before the Minister and senior officials.
The meeting is being seen as an important step towards addressing long-pending grievances of tourist drivers and strengthening the transport framework linked to Jammu and Kashmir’s vital tourism industry.
