Transport minister takes public transport

On Saturday, Transport Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, about to get into his official government car and start his day, changed his mind and got into a black-and-yellow taxi.

On Saturday, Transport Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, about to get into his official government car and start his day, changed his mind and got into a black-and-yellow taxi.

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He also urged his staffers to use public transport. Inside the taxi, he noted some problems, which he forwarded to Mumbai Taxi Union General Secretary A.L. Quadros.

“The taxi didn’t have a permit number displayed on the vehicle, and the driver wasn’t wearing his badge,” Vikhe-Patil said.

He got off opposite Wilson College, then boarded an air-conditioned Kinglong bus. Inside, he first sat on a seat meant for the physically challenged, then one for women. He moved to a seat at the rear only when officials and the media pointed it out to him.

“The seat meant for the physically challenged is at a height and could cause discomfort to the passenger,” he told a BEST official.

After a half hour trip, he alighted at Bandra (E) on the Western Express highway, took another black-and-yellow and headed for the Transport Commissioner’s office.