City taxi operators call off strike

“We have put forward a few questions to the transport minister. For instance,we wanted to know why the government was only procuring new buses from the Tatas and not floating a tender. We also think that the buses under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) are not suitable for our roads,” said Swarnakamal Saha,general secretary of Joint Bus Syndicate.

According to Aboshesh Dawan of West Bengal Minibus Operators Union,the government should immediately take a sympathetic approach towards the employees of the 1,000-odd buses,which are not being able to ply. He urged the government to allow these vehicles to ply while they are preparing for replacement.

The minibus operators also asked Kundu to provide government subsidies like in autos.

“We will not be holding any strike as decided earlier. We want to replace our taxis but we also think that since Hind Motors is not being able to provide the adequate number of vehicles others have to be roped in. We also think Maruti Omnis should be considered in place of Ambassadors. The government had suggested Wagon R but they would be too costly,” Dawan said.

Kundu,meanwhile,said: “In the meeting we had regional transport officers and even district magistrates of Kolkata,Howrah,Hooghly,North and South 24-Parganas. We would adopt a common amicable approach towards the transport issues. I have been discussing a few issues with the operators on Tuesday.”

“About complains that some nationalised banks are not providing loans on time,I have asked all the DMs to make sure that release of loans takes place fast. So far as subsidy for taxis is concerned we would provide the money directly to the banks. On the issue of procuring buses from the Tatas,we will get only those that are suitable for our roads,” the minister added.