World | India
Taxis, autorickshaws stay off Mumbai roads
Trade union leader Sharad Rao held the city to ransom by calling a 24-hour taxi and autorickshaw strike that left thousands helpless and forced to find alternative mode of transport.
- By Pamela Raghunath, Correspondent
- Published: 23:47 October 16, 2008
Mumbai: Trade union leader Sharad Rao held the city to ransom by calling a 24-hour taxi and autorickshaw strike that left thousands helpless and forced to find alternative mode of transport.
Public transport, both trains and buses, ran to packed capacity while private vehicles, after a statement issued by the state, ferried passengers during the strike. The worst affected were passengers arriving at airports, rail and bus terminuses, and the sick.
The Mumbai International Airport Limited organised free coach services for passengers at both domestic and international terminals of the Chatrapati Shivaji International Airport from 6 am onwards.
Though Rao is known for leading employees of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation to agitate for wage hikes and bonuses, this time he is supporting taximen to protest against the government's decision to phase out taxis that are more than 25 years old.
Rao, who also heads the Autorickshaw Union, said the strike was total with 55,000 taxis and 150,000 rickshaws staying off the roads.
However, A.C. Quadros, head of Mumbai Taximen's Union, said "the strike has not been called by us" and accused Rao of "illegally entering into our territory by starting a new union".
He said his union had already met Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh to demand a financial package on the Delhi model by providing relief in taxes and interest to owners of over 25-year-old taxis to purchase new ones.
"The government is expected to come out with a resolution on this matter in two days," he added.
Quadros's union will also be approaching the State Transport Criminal Court to ask for more time, at least six to seven months, for taxi owners to switch over to new vehicles. He claimed that taxis have been forced to keep off the roads from fear of being attacked by Rao's supporters "since many taxis were damaged on Wednesday night in south and central Mumbai".
The phasing out of 8,500 taxis that are over 25 years was wrong since the emission norms prescribed by the authorities were already being met by the vehicles, said Rao.
Ravinder, a taxi driver, said taxis are wholeheartedly supporting Rao since it was unfair of the government to phase out the old taxis at a short notice.
Share this article
News Editor's choice
-
Africa segment at Dubai film festival
Productions feature interesting mix of genres tackling serious issues
-
Arafat death anniversary remembered
Palestinians mark five years since the death of leader Yasser Arafat
-
What to expect at the Dubai Airshow
We preview what types of aircraft to expect at the Dubai Airshow
