Dispose of representation on regularising call taxi tariff: Madras HC tells state government

The Madras High Court on Thursday directed the Tamil Nadu government to dispose of the representation made in connection with regularisation of call taxi tariff and to install meters and fix a charge.

The division bench, comprising Justices M Sathyanarayanan and R Mahadevan gave the direction to the Chief Secretary and the Commissioner,Transport Department and told them to dispose of the representation within eight weeks.

Petitioner K Sanjeevee Nathan, a call taxi driver cum owner submitted that more than one lakh call taxis are plying all over Tamil Nadu, serving nearly 10 lakh customers. They charge high rates without following rules. Some call taxi agencies collect Service Tax from customers, but do not pay the amount to the government, he said.

Nathan also alleged that multinational firms in the call taxi business collect high tariff rate from customers. They put out attractive advertisements through electronic media, affecting local call taxi owners who are unable to run the business profitably and survive. He pointed out that government has taken steps to regularize autorickshaw meter charges.

The petitioner said he was constrained to file this petition as there was no response to his representation to the government to install meters and fix a charge as per meter reading in call taxis.