Thane: Rickshaw union opposes new permits, private services

Thane: Kokan Division Rickshaw-taxi Mahasangh on Wednesday alleged that almost 25,000 illegal rickshaws run without any restriction in Thane. The auto and taxi drivers had gathered to put forward some of the the long pending issues.

The meeting was addressed by union chairman and KDMC Corporator Prakash Penkar. There are 25,000 illegal rickshaws plying in the city, but the traffic department does not take any action against them, the union complained. The union has demanded the cancellation of permits given to new drivers recently. They said the issue has been escalated to the Transport Minister Diwakar Rawte.

“These new permits will only create unemployment. The government has distributed the permits without any verifications and without even consulting the unions that actually work on the ground level. These permits will only increases the traffic menace,” said, Praksh Penkar, chairman, Kokan division Rickshaw-taxi Mahasangh.

The union also complained that the OLA-Uber private taxis getting undue benefits. Due to these companies, the rickshaw-taxi drivers had to loose their customers. Most of the cabs and private transport facilities are operating illegally, alleged the union.

“While giving the new permits, government has totally ignored this issue of private vehicles and also the issue of scrapped rickshaws. We want to get these private cab drivers under the similar regulations as our drivers had to follow,” said Sudhakr Chavan, union working president, Thane.