With complaints of lack of regulation and overcharging by private taxis at the Udupi Railway Station increasing, there is a demand for a pre-paid taxi system on the lines of a pre-paid autorickshaw system.
The Udupi Railway Yatri Sangha has been at the forefront of this demand. It was due to the efforts of the sangha that a pre-paid autorickshaw system was started at the railway station a couple of years ago.
But there are frequent quarrels between the pre-paid autorickshaw operators and the taxi drivers waiting at the railway station for customers.
Both accuse each other of being unfair and taking away their customers.
According to R.L. Dias, president of Udupi Railway Yatri Sangha, due to lack of regulation, the taxi drivers are charging the passengers at the railway station as they pleased. “There is no system or fixed rates for them. As a result the passengers have to pay what they demand. Lack of fixed fares is encouraging the taxi operators to indulge in unfair competition with pre-paid autorickshaws,” he said.
According to Mr. Dias, even the Konkan Railway Corporation Ltd (KRCL) has written to the district authorities to ensure a regulated taxi system.
B. Narasimhamurthy, vice-president of the Autorickshaw Owners and Operators Association, said pre-paid autorickshaws were charging the passengers the fares fixed by the Regional Transport Authority. “But the taxi drivers are taking eight to 10 passengers offering low charges. It works out for them when they take more passengers. But we can take only three passengers. A pre-paid taxi system is necessary to ensure a level playing field,” he said.
K. Raghupati Bhat, president of District Taxi Operators Association, said that autorickshaw operators too had been taking passengers to far off places such as Bailoor and Dharmasthala during nights to the dismay of taxi drivers. “We will discuss the issue of pre-paid taxis in a month and resolve it in a month,” he said.
Arun Kumar Singh, Regional Transport Officer, said that KRCL wanted metered taxis at the railway station. But the private taxis here were contract carriages and not metered taxis. Hence, the charges were decided by the taxi operator and the passengers in consultation with each other, he said.
R. Vishal, Deputy Commissioner, said the district administration would look into the issue. “We will consult all the stakeholders and see if there is legal backing to enforce this demand,” he said.
