Mumbai's Kaali-peeli taxi union demands Rs 8 minimum fare hike

MUMBAI: Taxi union leader A L Quadros on Friday petitioned the newly formed fare hike committee demanding a Rs 8 hike in minimum fare.

His rival, Nitesh Rane-led Swabhiman union, has opposed the hike citing that cabbies were incurring huge losses due to competition from aggregators like Ola and Uber.

Quadros has demanded a rise in minimum taxi fare from Rs 22 to Rs 30, and for every km from Rs 14.84 to Rs 20.

Meanwhile, the autorickshaw union informed the panel that it needs 15 days to make a detailed presentation on various factors for which it would ask for a hike. The hike could be a minimum Rs 2, sources said.

The consumer activists, who also attended the first meeting of the fare hike committee on Friday afternoon, demanded that commuters’ suggestions and objections be given priority before deciding any fare hike.

The Mumbai Grahak Panchayat has demanded that activists or commuters should have a nominated member on the panel. “The panel should have a member from a commuter rights body,” said Varsha Raut of MGP.

Sources said the panel will hold similar meetings in five other regions in the state before recommending a final formula on fare hike by February-March. The fare hike, if any, could be implemented by April-May, said sources.

Auto union leader Shashank Rao said, “The panel should consider all factors, such as capital costs, repairs and maintenance, fuel price hike, taxes and cost of living index, to frame a formula on fare hike.” Quadros said that the operational costs of Kaali-Peelis had gone up by 20% in a year, and therefore there was need for a hike.

K K Tiwari from Swabhiman union said there should be no hike until the City Taxi scheme was implemented.