Mumbai: Drivers unfairly targetted over minor traffic offences, says taxi union

The Mumbai Taximen's Union has strongly opposed for targetting the taxi drivers on minor Traffic Offences by the Police. "The taxi drivers are the easy targets and the police are registering offences such as honking Horn, stopping the taxis for discharging or picking up the passengers" read a statement issued by Mumbai Taximen's Union, one of thd oldest taxi unioun of the city.

"Sanjay Pandey, Commissioner of Mumbai City is expert in issuing orders and his latest order is for Honking Horn. The roads in Mumbai are congested and public is freely walking on the roads. The foot paths have been leased to the hawkers by the BMC and police. Pandey should issue order to the public not to cross the roads freely. Surprisingly, he is not issuing any such orders and targeting the innocent taxi drivers" further stated the by taxi union.

"Almost all the taxis are fitted with low tone Horns and the taxi drivers are using it only on emergency. However, the police issue E-Challans and collect the fine of Rs.1000/- and for second offence Rs.2000/-" said spokeperson of Unioun.

"The drivers whose daily income is less than Rs.300/- cannot afford to pay such huge amount of fine. Due to this more than 20,000 taxi drivers have already left the taxis and more are on the way," he added.

Union has demanded that the Police should stop targetting the taxi drivers on offences like stopping the taxis to pick up or dropping the passengers and blowing low sound Horn to caution the public otherwise they woukd force to agitate against this.