Taxis again keep off Kolkata roads

Kolkata, Aug 28 (IANS) Once again commuters were at their wits’ end in Kolkata as taxis remained off the roads on Thursday with drivers participating in a march to the state transport department headquarters in protest against "police atrocities".

Though the march, called by left trade unions, was scheduled in the afternoon, the cabbies did not ply their vehicles since the morning, inconveniencing office goers, school-going children, patients and others who ventured out on the streets.

"Whenever I come to West Bengal, I see some disruption," said middle-aged housewife Anita Saha after disembarking from a train at the Howrah station where the taxi booth looked deserted.

"I have been waiting for one hour for a taxi, but it’s all in vain. How can taxi drivers go on virtual strike like this so often? It does not happen anywhere," said 70-year-old Saten Samanta at Sealdah station.

The march to Paribahan Bhavan (state transport department headquarters) was called by the Communist Party of India-Marxist labour arm Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU)-affiliated West Bengal Taxi Workers’ Union and CPI labour wing All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) loyalists Kolkata Taxi Operators’ Union.

Taxi drivers have pulled out their vehicles from the city roads on five earlier occasions this month by calling wildcat strikes or protest walks as part of their movement against alleged police "excesses".

At the centre of the dispute is the government decision to increase the fine for passenger refusal from Rs.100 to Rs.3,000 to combat repeated complaints of refusals.

The government earlier this month arrested 22 drivers for vandalism as they damaged taxis which did not heed their call and continued plying. They were released on bail after spending four days in jail.

Around 37,000 taxis ply in the city daily.