Soon, smaller taxis will ply from city airport to Pune

Air passengers will be able to take four-seater taxis from the city airport to reach Pune if Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority (MMRTA) rectifies its earlier decision in their next meeting to be held soon.

Air passengers will be able to take four-seater taxis from the city airport to reach Pune if Mumbai Metropolitan Region Transport Authority (MMRTA) rectifies its earlier decision in their next meeting to be held soon.

HT Image

The decision, if taken, will prevent the department from inviting the Bombay high court’s wrath because the court had asked it to ply four-seaters on the said route.

Last October, the high court ordered airport operator GVK International to make space for the Mumbai-Pune taxi association.

In the same order, it also asked transport department to allow four-seater taxies along with six-seaters.

The Mumbai-Pune Taxi Owner’s Association moved the high court again early this month because the state government did not follow the decision that was given last year.

“We had no option as the transport authorities did not follow the high court order,” said association secretary SR Shetty. He said it was association’s long-pending demand but the transport officers did not show keen interest.

But taxi owners make losses because most passengers prefer smaller taxis. “It takes more time to fill six-seater taxis. It also costs more if a person wants to travel alone. Such people prefer illegal private vehicles,” Shetty said.

Currently, some 350 taxis ply on the Mumbai-Pune route. MMRTA has fixed a fare of Rs375 per person. Passengers share a toll tax of Rs195.

When asked, transport secretary SK Sharma said he was unaware of the issue.

He said, however, that the MMRTA would decide once it comes before it.

A senior official, on condition of anonymity because he is not authorised to speak to the media, said that clearing the issue was priority to prevent the court action.

The MMRTA was to meet on Friday. However, this was postponed. Therefore a revision in auto and taxi fares in the context of CNG price hike, which was expected to be worked on at the meeting will be done on a later date.