Kali peeli taxi operators of the city want more time for calibration of meter. According to taxi unions, around 5000 meters are still not calibrated because most of taxi operators have gone to their native place during lockdown. Currently over 20,000 kali peeli taxi are running on the roads of Mumbai city .
"The minimum taxi fare was revised by the MMRTA from Rs 22 to Rs 25 with effect from March 1st 2021. The MMRTA had passed the order to calibrate the meters before May 31st , 2021, which was lockdown period " said AL Quadros, General secretary of Mumbai Taximen’s Union adding that most of taxi operators returns after Diwali hence last date of calibration of meter need to extended till 31st December.
However transport department officials said date of calibration of meter was alrwady extended several times , hence we decided to take action against those taxi operators who's meter still not calibrated.
In a letter written to Ashish Kumar Singh, additional chief transport secretary of Maharashtra today, Quadros requested not to penalize taxi operators and asked for extension of date of calibration till 31 December.
"Most of taxi operators don't have personal parking space, they are forced to park their vehicles at public parking, hence when they returned from home found that several parts of their taxis are stolen. In result meter calibration work of those taxis also suffered" said another a taxi drivers , adding that if transportat department doesn't give sufficient time for calibration of rest of taxi meter we force to adopt the way agitation.
