New Delhi, May 29 -- In Shillong, the capital of Meghalaya, black-and-yellow shared taxis have become the lifeline of daily commuting, less by design than by default. As government bus systems falter and traffic snarls intensify, residents are left navigating a costly, fragmented and car-clogged mobility landscape.

For Daker Mynsong, a postgraduate student, walking remains the most viable option to reach St Anthony's College. Almost every day, he walks around 2-3 km from his home in Nongthymai to the college in Lachumiere, a journey that takes him roughly 30 minutes. Without a two-wheeler of his own, his only alternative is the city's ubiquitous black-and-yellow local taxis. But, he says, "Taking a taxi every day would cost over Rs 1,50...