Taxi drivers protest as rlys seek parking fee at A’bad station

The move by officials of the Ahmedabad Railway Station to keep away around 50 taxi drivers from the parking lot of the station has led to a protest by the drivers. The move was carried out to give more parking space to those visiting the station.

On Saturday, taxi drivers staged a protest against the move. According to Ghanshyam Thakar, president of Taxi Association, Ahmedabad, the railway officials are driving the taxi drivers away from the parking space. He said this will affect the livelihood of the taxi drivers and their dependents.

Thakar said more than 60 years ago, the parking space had been given to them and now suddenly the officials are driving them out. “They are doing this to earn some money from the parking space. They are not providing us with any other alternate arrangement,” he said. Thakar further said that the plot has been registered in the name of taxi association yet the officials are compelling the drivers to vacate the place.  “We are the third generation of taxi drivers to use the parking space,” he said.

Divisional railway manager (A’bad) Ashok Gadud said the taxi drivers have been using the parking space freely for the last many years. “If the drivers are willing to pay the charges then the railway may consider allowing them use of the land,” said Gadud.