Cabbies demand revision of fare rates in wake of petrol price hike

GANGTOK, 25 May: The increase in petrol prices has given rise to confusion regarding fares among taxi drivers in the capital who have long been demanding a revision of taxi fares with the Motor Vehicles wing of the Transport Department.
“Between the years 2006 to 2010 there was an increase in fuel prices ranging from Re. 01 to Rs. 05 and during that time we had approached the Motor Vehicles Division for revision of taxi fares and after much deliberation the department raised the taxi fares by 15% in2010. Even at that time we had asked for the hike to be between 30 to 50 per cent,” explained Chung Chung Bhutia [President, Central Joint Action Committee of Local Taxi Drivers Association, Gangtok], while speaking to the press here at Deorali today.
When the fuel prices increased by Rs. 5 last year, they had approached the department seeking another increase in taxi fares and even then the department had stated that another revised rate board would be worked out soon. The hike is still awaited and now petrol prices have been increased by another 10%, he added.
“Now the petrol prices have been increased by Rs. 7.30 per litre and we are still charging passengers at the old rate given to us by the department in 2010,” he said and added that now, with the increase in fuel prices, the drivers are at a loss regarding passenger fares.
“Now taxi drivers may start to charge passengers more and this will not go down well with the people and the drivers could face public ire,” expressed Mr. Bhutia adding that it would be the students and children who will suffer in the midst of this confusion.
“Even the traffic has been made one-way in many places, but we are still forced to charge the same rate as we do not have the much needed revised rate board and have to face the anger of the people when we do so,” he further stated.
Speaking on whether the taxi drivers association will be lending its support to the all India strike called on 31 May, he said that if the ‘common man’ stands up then they will definitely come out in support of the people adding that last year when they had held a meeting to discuss various issues regarding the plight of drivers, the meeting had been termed to be politically motivated, so they want to be cautious this time.
“It is high time that the department did something to revise the rate board. We have already written two or three times to the department regarding this issue since 2010,” added Lakpa Sherpa [general secretary of the association], while speaking to the press.
He suggested that it would be better if the department lift the VAT levied on petrol so that the price comes down by a few rupees or follow in Goa’s footsteps and not increase petrol prices at all. In order to avoid overcharging by taxi drivers, the department should take immediate action in view of the recent price hike, Mr Sherpa added.