Kaali-peeli fares may go up in New Year

Kaali-peeli fares may go up in New Year

Swapnil MishraUpdated: Friday, December 27, 2019, 01:41 AM IST
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Mumbai: Hopping into a kaali-peeli cab is likely to get costlier for Mumbaikars in the New Year, as the base fares of these are likely to increase from the current Rs 22 to Rs 25 in January 2020. Taxi unions will be meeting the new transport minister next week to take up their demands, which have been pending since June this year. They have threatened to strike failing fulfilment of their demands. Currently, there are 32,000 taxis in Mumbai.

AL Quadros, leader of the Mumbai Taximen’s Union, said, in June they had met the transport minister with their demands and had been assured their demands will be met. But because of the ongoing assembly session, there was a delay. “At present, the portfolio is held by Subhash Desai, but we are not sure how long he will be on the job. It is believed Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will rejig his cabinet after December 30. So, only after this will we meet the new transport minister,” he said.

“We have already readied a letter asking for a fare hike and listed other issues and will submit it in the first week of January 2020,” he added.

Currently the base fare is Rs 22 and thereafter, is Rs 16 per kilometre. The unions want this raised to Rs 25 and Rs 20, respectively. “Going by the cost of living index, ideally, the fare should go up to Rs 27 and rounded off, it should be Rs 30. But keeping business considerations in mind, we have decided to keep this amount at Rs 25,” said Quadros.

The four-member panel, headed by retired IAS officer BC Khatua, was formed to review the report submitted by the Hakim panel in 2012. The Khatua panel submitted its report in October 2017. Earlier this month, taxi unions had threatened an agitation if a final decision was not taken on the recommendations.

Meanwhile, the unions also said the price of compressed natural gas (CNG), which fuels the taxis, had also increased substantially and this was affecting their earnings. CNG prices have increased six times in the past two years, with the latest hike being in October. It now costs Rs 49.95 per kg.

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