KOLKATA: With state government allowing a skeletal metered taxi service during the lockdown, cabbies got flooded with calls for emergency commuting from across the city. The demand for emergency commuting exceeded the availability of this service in the city.
Taxi operators said that since Saturday morning, requests for emergency travel kept pouring in through their emergency numbers from several people in distress, including a kidney patient, who needed an urgent dialysis, traders, who wanted to open their medicine shops following emergency calls from their loyal customers, and an IT employee having an emergency assignment at office.
“Many people from across the city kept calling us but we could not meet the demands of all. For, the number of taxis that could ply on the first two days was less than 100. Many of our drivers have gone back to their native places before the lockdown. Secondly, we are still facing hindrances from the police. Patients travelling in cabs have to come out and plead with the police for allowing them to go to hospitals or doctors’ chambers. Unless PVD gives us some authorization, we will have to be facing such problems,” said Sanjib Roy of Bengal Taxi Association.
Following the requirement of emergency commute and the demand-supply gap, Kolkata Police, on Sunday, advertised the launch of taxi services for emergency on social media. “Call 1073 to avail of on-call taxi services for emergency within the city. This is a limited service, for which documentary support is needed. The taxis will reach your door. Not more than three persons can travel at a time,” Kolkata Police stated on DCP Traffic Twitter handle.
Twenty-five traffic guards said they are being provided with the names of 70 taxi drivers, along with their phone numbers, registration numbers, and of the spots where they are supposed to park their vehicles. The areas for temporary parking of taxis include Behala, Thakurpukur, Garia, Shyambazar, Dum Dum, Sealdah, Exide Crossing, Ultadanga, Khidderpore and Dunlop. However, immediately after the launch, the service faced some issues.
“I called 1073 for the emergency taxi service. The lady who received the call kept the phone down,” alleged Abhishek Ghosh on Twitter. Cops claimed there might have a “network error.”
Meanwhile, the app cab operators wanted to fill the demand supply gap. “We are ready for the service,” said Indranil Banerjee, general secretary, online cab operators’ guild.
Taxi operators said that since Saturday morning, requests for emergency travel kept pouring in through their emergency numbers from several people in distress, including a kidney patient, who needed an urgent dialysis, traders, who wanted to open their medicine shops following emergency calls from their loyal customers, and an IT employee having an emergency assignment at office.
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Some amount of vehicles are needed for emergency situations. But taxi drivers and owners should be given clear-cut instructions on basic hygiene. The next three weeks will be critical and we cannot afford slip-ups.
“Many people from across the city kept calling us but we could not meet the demands of all. For, the number of taxis that could ply on the first two days was less than 100. Many of our drivers have gone back to their native places before the lockdown. Secondly, we are still facing hindrances from the police. Patients travelling in cabs have to come out and plead with the police for allowing them to go to hospitals or doctors’ chambers. Unless PVD gives us some authorization, we will have to be facing such problems,” said Sanjib Roy of Bengal Taxi Association.
Following the requirement of emergency commute and the demand-supply gap, Kolkata Police, on Sunday, advertised the launch of taxi services for emergency on social media. “Call 1073 to avail of on-call taxi services for emergency within the city. This is a limited service, for which documentary support is needed. The taxis will reach your door. Not more than three persons can travel at a time,” Kolkata Police stated on DCP Traffic Twitter handle.
Twenty-five traffic guards said they are being provided with the names of 70 taxi drivers, along with their phone numbers, registration numbers, and of the spots where they are supposed to park their vehicles. The areas for temporary parking of taxis include Behala, Thakurpukur, Garia, Shyambazar, Dum Dum, Sealdah, Exide Crossing, Ultadanga, Khidderpore and Dunlop. However, immediately after the launch, the service faced some issues.
“I called 1073 for the emergency taxi service. The lady who received the call kept the phone down,” alleged Abhishek Ghosh on Twitter. Cops claimed there might have a “network error.”
Meanwhile, the app cab operators wanted to fill the demand supply gap. “We are ready for the service,” said Indranil Banerjee, general secretary, online cab operators’ guild.
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