Cabbies call 3-day strike from August 6

KOLKATA: CITU-affiliated taxi workers union and taxi operators associations like Bengal Taxi Association, Calcutta Taxi Association, West Bengal Drivers Welfare Association and Progressive Taxi men's Union have called for a strike demanding immediate revision of fare on August 6, 7 and 8.
While CITU-affiliated taxi workers will stage the strike on August 6 and 7, the operators' association will extend the strike on August 8. Because of the strike, metered cabs are expected to stop plying across the city.
The taxi is the worst hit sector with sudden hike of diesel price with Centre levying additional surcharge immediately after the poll. "Not only fuel, the cost of operation has increased because of increasing cost of spare parts, insurance and penalties for traffic rules violation.," said Sanjib Roy of Bengal Taxi Association (BTA).
"Running a metered cab has become a loss-making proposition now," said cabbies.