Kolkata: The quintessential yellow Kolkata taxi may soon be a thing of the past if the Trinamool Congress-led state government goes ahead with its plan to paint all cabs in the city in blue and white, the party’s colours.
Not just this, in keeping with the TMC’s (Trinamool Congress) intolerance of any strikes organised by opposition parties, new permits will be issued with the condition that the operators will not take part in any agitation or bandh. They will have to give an undertaking to this effect.
Besides change in colour to blue and white, with a navy blue band, all taxis will have a registration number, a no-refusal clause and AC or non-AC marked on both sides with immediate effect, according to a government order quoted by state Transport Minister Madan Mitra on Tuesday.
Of 4,000 new permits to be issued shortly, 2,000 will be for AC and 2,000 for non-AC and will be issued in a day or two, Mitra said. Stating that passengers will not be inconvenienced, Mitra
Said, “It will be ensured that rules are followed by taxi operators and passengers are provided justice.”
Strongly opposing the condition that the permits will be issued to operators with an undertaking that they will not participate in agitation or shut downs, Bengal Taxi Association President Bimal Guha said that no member will do so.
Describing it as an infringement of democratic rights, he said, “No government has a right to interfere in one's democratic right and the condition for distribution of new taxi permit is unjustified. We strongly oppose it.”
Guha said that the transport minister has called them to a meeting on Wednesday to discuss the issue.
Comments
0 comment