Lax laws, free run for tourist taxis

Friday’s incident of violence between two taxi drivers over picking up passengers has once again highlighted the nuisance caused by roadside taxi stands. With no fear for the law, taxi drivers charge any amount and harass passengers, but people have no option but to bear with it.

The taxis involved in the recent incidents were reportedly running on All India Tourist Permits. As per the law, this kind of a licence is granted for motor cabs with a seating capacity for five persons. The government regulations prescribe that the owner has to ensure that the colour of the car is white and he/ she has an office with a telephone facility at a “tourist passengers booking place”, authorised parking space and financial resources to purchase the vehicle.

As per laid down procedures of the transport department of Delhi government, there is no stipulation on the fares or behaviour expected from the driver. In case of black and yellow taxis on the other hand, plying by government-prescribed fares and proper behaviour with passengers are among the permit conditions.

When licences are given for them to operate, the DLY cabs are granted All India Tourist Permits. But due to lack of enforcement, a majority of these taxis operate from neighbourhood taxi stands, and run on local trips, which they are not supposed to.

According to traffic police, prosecution of these cabs is less as compared to conventional black and yellow taxis. The main reason for this, officials claim, is that these cabs don’t have any meters or fixed fare charts. “All taxi stands have their own rates and people who hire them usually haggle and enter into settlements. It, therefore, becomes tough to prosecute them unless there is a complaint against a particular taxi driver or stand,” a senior official said.

Transport department officials, however, say prosecution is the job of the traffic police. “The cabs are not designed for city runs and hence their fare structures have not been fixed. They are generally used by corporates or offices and are available at hotels for tourists,” said an official.
Source:-The Times of India Delhi 27 December 2008 P. 3
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