In demand for year-end drives, Mumbai chauffeurs jack up prices

Guess who everyone is hankering after this new year’s: the humble car driver. Car rental companies and tourist vehicle owners in the city have been inundated with calls seeking chauffeurs for their cars, and with the growing demand, there’s an obvious rise in the fees.

Car owners are playing it wise and do not want to get caught for drunk driving after the new year’s parties as the Mumbai traffic police have launched a campaign against drunk driving and those driving home from the parties are opting for drivers who would drop them home safely.

“You can imagine the demand as drivers are not available for even Rs1,000 a day,” said Nitin Dossa chairman of Western Indian Automobile Association.

“We have been inundated with calls asking for drivers for the night of December 31. A few of them are booked for all nights between Christmas and the new year,” Ashok Kumar of Rajprabha tours and travels in Dadar said.

“Many are hiring cars when we told them that we cannot send them drivers alone. Most of our cars are booked this weekend and the December 31st night,” PK Das, manager of another rent-a-car company, Global, said.

The Mumbai traffic police have caught a whopping 1,41,313 drivers, leading to 8,794 being jailed for drunk driving and suspension of 7,686 motor driving licences till December 20.

To further shame the citizens, the traffic department has also begun to upload names of citizens caught drunk driving on their official website with the name, vehicle number, the date of offence and the location.

“It becomes an embarrassment for us and our families. Hence, we have decided to hire a driver,” an offender who had been sentenced to a day’s imprisonment said on the condition of anonymity.