One of the shops set ablaze by alleged Trinamul workers at Bhagalpur near Malda on Sunday. Picture by Surajit Roy

Siliguri, Sept. 7: The no-refusal taxi fare announced by the state government yesterday for Siliguri and its adjoining areas have raised doubts among prospective cab owners about the viability of the service.

A section of applicants think the fare (see chart) is too low and would not be enough to sustain the fleet.

“The population is less in Siliguri and the adjoining areas compared to Calcutta. We have doubts about the livelihood of the taxi drivers if the fares are kept similar to the rates in Calcutta. If anyone takes a private car to Bagdogra from Siliguri, it costs around Rs 200. If someone hires a car, a one-way trip costs Rs 450 to Rs 500. A taxi can earn Rs 195 or so for a one way trip. It is not necessary that a taxi would get a passenger on its way back. In such a situation, it would be tough to sustain,” said an applicant.

Mamata Banerjee had launched the no-refusal taxi service here on September 1.

Madan Bhattacharya of the state transport authority in Siliguri said: “The fare chart has reached us. We have asked people who have got permits to buy taxis. It (the fare) is almost the same as Calcutta with minor changes.”

He said 1,545 permits would be issued by the SJDA. “We have handed over 950 permits to prospective owners. The remaining 500-odd applicants have not turned up . We plan to send them permits by post.”

Sources said some applicants had not collected the offer letters yet because they feared losses. The letters have to be collected from a camp set up by state transport authority on the Kanchenjungha Stadium Mela Grounds.

“The taxis cannot go up the hills or go to the adjoining North Dinajpur district which means, we have to do business primarily in Siliguri subdivision and Jalpaiguri town. There is not enough population in Mainaguri and Malbazar to hire taxi. The situation is not too positive,” said an applicant.

Bhattacharya said the taxis would ply from September 15. “We will build stands in New Jalpaiguri station, Burdwan Road, Jalpai More, Darjeeling More and other areas.”

rate card for siliguri cabs

No-refusal taxi fare chart in SJDA area

• First 1.7km: Rs 25
• Every 200m after that: Rs 2.40
• Luggage charge: Rs 4 (for more than 20kg)
• Waiting charge: Rs 1.20 for every 90 second
• AC charge: 20 per cent extra on the total fare
• Rates are almost like in Calcutta. In Calcutta, Rs 25 is charged for the first 2km, waiting charge is Rs 1.20 for every 2.12 minutes and AC rate is 25 per cent.
• SJDA area includes Siliguri subdivision and Rajganj, Sadar, Mainaguri and Malbazar blocks in Jalpaiguri district