The ongoing crisis regarding the indefinite taxi strike got even more complicated in Kolkata as two major taxi owners’ organisations, the Bangal Taxi Association and Progressive Taxi Men’s Union threatened to surrender their permits if the State Government did not resolve the issue by Friday.
Interestingly, the Progressive Taxi Men’s Union is known for its proximity to the All India Trinamool Congress government and Transport Minister Madan Mitra.
Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, general secretary of the Bengal Taxi Association Bimal Guha said that members of his organisation along with Progressive Taxi Men’s Union will lay siege to the to Paribahan Bhawan in central Kolkata. “If the State Government does not agree to our demands until Friday, we will surrender our permits and run rickshaws instead,” said Mr. Guha. The taxi owners’ organisations have been demanding a fare hike, adequate number of taxi stands and revision of the Rs.3000 fine for passenger refusal.
He alleged that both the State Government and the Left trade union — Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU) and All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) —were aloof to the plight of taxi owners.
In the three-cornered battle between the State Government, Left trade Unions and taxi owners’ organisations, the festive shoppers are in a spot with taxies being off roads since last Thursday.
Ashok Sarkar, who came for festive shopping at Garihat in South Kolkata was at a loss on how to board the crowded buses with all the baggage. “God knows how I will manage to board a bus with so many bags,” he wondered.
The picture was almost the same at the city’s New Market area in Central Kolkata. Jaydip Kundu, a resident of Tollygaunj in south Kolkata described the strike as a “huge problem” with visible irritation on his face.
