Saturday, 28 January 2024 | PNS | NAINITAL
Members of the taxi association in Nainital went on a strike on Saturday accusing the government of harassment. The taxi operators are opposing the decision of the government to hand over the task of certifying the fitness of taxis to a private organisation. Tourists in Nainital faced considerable inconvenience due to the strike of the taxi operators. The tourists coming by train from Delhi and other places had to wait for hours for the bus. They had to rely on the bus service to reach Nainital and other nearby tourist destinations. Similar problems were faced by those travelling daily from Nainital to Haldwani, Bhawali and other nearby places for work. The taxi operators state that in the past a sum of Rs 2,000 was charged for the fitness test of taxis.
However, with the task being handed over to a private organisation, arbitrary charges amounting upto Rs 20,000 are being demanded for the same work. They further alleged that the service providers misbehave with taxi drivers and owners at the fitness test centre.
The taxi association warned the government that if it does not take back the work of fitness test from the private organisation soon, the taxi operators will be forced to go on a strike for an indefinite period. The head of the taxi association in Nainital, Pam Tiwari said that the private organisation is charinge arbitrary rates for conducting fitness tests of taxis. The employees of the organisation misbehave with the taxi drivers and operators who question or oppose the high rates. The taxi operators have been forced to go on strike against this system, he said.
Meanwhile, during the strike on Saturday, members of the taxi association snatched the keys from the taxi drivers who were found operating their vehicles. Such vehicles were then parked in the car parking. The two-wheeler taxis too did not operate in Nainital and nearby places during the strike.
