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Progressive Taximen’s Union and Calcutta Taxi Association seek to highlight:
ýAlleged police excesses
ýHarassment by the motor vehicles department inspectors in the name of checking pollution
ýAttacks on taxi drivers by miscreants and failure of police to arrest the culprits
ýForcing owners to replace old vehicles that have valid pollution clearances
ýImposition of cess on fuel
ýRefusal to issue permits, denial of transfer and fitness certificate for old vehicles
ýGovernment order to scrap commercial vehicles registered before 1975
ýGovernment’s reluctance to look into the problems of taxi-owners
A day after the new price of petrol and diesel came into effect, city taxi operators demanded a rise in fares amid differences among various operators’ bodies over whether or not to call a strike on Monday.
Operators demanded a minimum fare of Rs 17 and a hike of Rs 1.70 for every subsequent 200 metres. Now, the minimum fare is Rs 15 and it rises Rs 1.50 for subsequent 200 metres.
“We will place our demand before transport minister Subhas Chakraborty on Tuesday and announce our next course of action after hearing what he says,” said Bimal Guha, president of Bengal Taxi Association (BTA), the biggest taxi operators’ body in the city.
The BTA on Sunday met and decided to launch a movement from Monday in support of their demand. Guha, however, did not support a strike called by Progressive Taximen’s Union (PTU) from 9 on Sunday till Monday.
The PTU strike has nothing to do with the rise in fuel price. “We have called the strike in support of some genuine demands,” said Madan Mitra, PTU president and Trinamul Congress leader. The BTA, however, said it did not support the strike and would ply taxis as usual. The Calcutta Taxi Association, too, has called a strike on Monday.
Despite their differences over calling a strike, the PTU joined voices with the BTA on the demand for a fare hike.
Taxi fare was last revised in 2002. “Though the price of diesel increased four times, we did not demand a fare hike because the taxi business is not running too well. But, after the latest hike in fuel price, we have no option but to demand a revision of fares. The price of diesel has increased by Rs 6 in two years. So, if the government does not agree to increase the fare, we will have take our vehicles off the road,’’ Guha said.
Mitra said the government must look into their problems. “The transport minister told us on several occasions that fares will be increased or decreased in accordance with the hike or reduction in diesel price. Now, we believe that the government will keep its promise,’’ he said.
The BTA president said: “Of the 30,000 taxis plying in and around the city, a large number are incurring losses.’’
Stressing that the demand for a fare hike was justified, minister Chakraborty said taxi operators had earlier refused a revision. “Now, if they want one, we will definitely look into it,’’ he said.
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