Anthony Quadros, president, Mumbai Taximen’s Union, called the notification unjust and unfair towards the drivers of the yellow-black taxis plying the city streets.
The Mumbai Taximen’s Union will file a petition in the Bombay high court early next week, challenging the state transport authority’s notification to sell four thousand taxi permits to private companies in the fleet cab business. Anthony Quadros, president, Mumbai Taximen’s Union, called the notification unjust and unfair towards the drivers of the yellow-black taxis plying the city streets.
“The government has not issued any taxi permits since 1997. In fact, 10,000 permits have been cancelled for various reasons. Also, there is a serious shortage of taxi supply in Mumbai, while the demand is enormous. They should fill this gap by giving taxi permits to those interested in driving taxis instead of the rich fleet cab owners,” said Quadros. “Drivers of the yellow-black taxis serve the middle-class. The fleet cabs do not ply short distances and the middle-class can’t afford them. Why give them permits?”
According to Quadros, on an average, one taxi provides livelihood to at least three families — two drivers who drive in shifts and the owner. Quoting section 73 of the Maharashtra Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989, Quadros said the notification violates the act, which requires permission of the Centre for amending it. “The state does not have permission from the central government,” added Quadros.
The Maharashtra State Transport Authority had released a notification in July this year, which stated that four thousand taxi permits were being sold to owners of fleet cabs for a security deposit of Rs5 crore. The owners will have to buy at least a thousand permits, with each permit being charged Rs1 lakh.
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