It is alleged that the move to phase out taxis is discriminatory as buses have been exempted
Three taxi drivers have moved the Bombay high court challenging the implementation of an August 2008 government resolution to phase out taxis over 25 years’ old. The resolution said permits of taxis, which have completed 25 years since their registration, will be revoked starting December 2008.
Petitioners’ lawyer Rahul Karnik told the court on Monday that there are nearly 10,000 such taxis plying on city roads. By its proposed action, the government would not only take away the livelihood of the taxi drivers but also inconvenience the public, he said. He said the government had not come up with any plan on how to phase out the old taxis or a scheme to help taxi drivers cope with the situation.
The high court on Monday asked the government to file a reply listing the plan to phase out old taxis. The next hearing will be held after two weeks.
The plan to phase out old taxis was first mooted by a state-appointed committee in 1996. The committee had recommended restrictions based on the age of registration of vehicles to be used as taxis. The committee also recommended the need to put some restriction on the number of years for which a vehicle could be used as a taxi after a permit is obtained to maintain quality of service and less pollution.
Taximen, however, are perturbed at the government’s half-hearted approach to the issue. The petitioners have alleged that the government’s move is aimed at helping private taxi operators.
The petitioners have alleged that the government’s move to phase out taxis is discriminatory as other vehicles like buses used by BEST, state transport corporation and even private cars have been exempted by the government resolution.
The petitioners, Adhar Yadav, Kanhaiya Singh and Amarjeet Singh, have stated that they are not opposed to the government’s policy but want proper implementation to ensure that nobody is rendered without a means to earn their livelihood.
The Mumbai Taximen’s Union has also been made a party to the petition as it has given out loans to taxi drivers for buying taxis.
m_anshika@dnaindia.net
