Mumbai: Old taxis and autos to go off your roads from august 1

More than 6,000 taxis and 16,000 autorickshwas in the city will go off roads from August 1. The state transport authority (STA), on Monday, decided to phase out taxis and autorickshaws that are more than 20 and 16 years old respectively. Kailash Korde reports.

More than 6,000 taxis and 16,000 autorickshwas in the city will go off roads from August 1. The state transport authority (STA), on Monday, decided to phase out taxis and autorickshaws that are more than 20 and 16 years old respectively.

HT Image

Under the existing rules, taxis that are more than 25 years old cannot be plied in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region, while there is no age limit for autos.

The transport department had assured to bring down the age limit for taxis while imposing a fare hike in October. The issue was raised by Hindustan Times in its April 26 edition.

SK Sharma, transport secretary and chairman of STA, said fitness certificates of taxis and autos that cross the new age limits would not be renewed after August 1.

Consumer activists welcomed the move. Jagdeep Desai, a transport expert, said: “The limit should be brought down further.”

Taxi and auto unions said the officials should have taken them into confidence.

“The authority should have consulted us,” said Shashank Rao, leader of Mumbai Autorickshawmen’s Union. Mumbai Taximen’s Union leader AL Quadros said they would protest against the decision and also approach chief minister Prithviraj Chavan.