Kolkat

Yellow taxis to ply from May 18 with 30% fare hike in Kolkata

Taxi drivers in front of the Victoria Memorial in Kolkata.   | Photo Credit: PTI

Only two passengers would be allowed to board the metered taxis at a time.

The ubiquitous yellow taxis are likely to be back in the city’s streets from May 18 with a 30% hike in fares, Bengal Taxi Association (BTA) secretary Bimal Guha said here on May 15.

He said that the association, in a meeting with senior West Bengal Transport department officials on May 14, proposed the 30% hike over meter readings at present rates.

The BTA secretary said that as per the government’s guidelines, a maximum of two passengers would be allowed to board the metered taxis and that both would have to sit in the back seat.

Mr. Guha said that taxi services in the city is likely to recommence from May 18 itself following the end of the third phase of the nationwide lockdown over the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the beginning of the lockdown, only a few taxis were being allowed to travel in the city for emergencies.

A letter from the Editor

Dear reader,

We have been trying to keep you up-to-date with news that matters to our lives and livelihoods, during these difficult times. To enable wide dissemination of news that is in public interest, we have increased the number of articles that can be read free, and extended free trial periods. However, we have a request for those who can afford to subscribe: please do. As we fight disinformation and misinformation, and keep apace with the happenings, we need to commit greater resources to news gathering operations. We promise to deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda.

Support Quality Journalism
Next Story