Taximen demand soft loans for new vehicles

20-year-old taxis will be scrapped after July 31 as state transport authority caps maximum age.

Following the state transport authority (STA) decision to reduce the maximum age of taxis from 25 to 20,Mumbai Taximen Union has written to the chief minister demanding soft loans at the rate of 4 per cent for drivers to meet the deadline of July 31 to replace vehicles.

Auto-rickshaw unions are,meanwhile,sticking to their plan of a 72-hour agitation from June 18 to oppose the STA decision of capping the maximum age of autos at 16.

Around 15 per cent of auto-rickshaws will be affected in Mumbai. We will continue to oppose the government decision, said Shashank Rao of Mumbai Autorickshawmen Union.

More than 5,000 taxis would be scrapped within a few months if regional transport offices implement the STA decision,said A L Quadros,general secretary of Mumbai Taximen Union.

In his letter to the chief minister,Quadros has cited the example of the Delhi government which provided soft loans to taxi drivers and owners through Delhi State Finance Corporation in 2001 after it capped the age of taxis at 10 years.

Saying most drivers had to also draw loans to replace mechanical fare meters with electronic ones,he requested they be given 10 years to repay the soft loans.

The STA decision should be stayed till the state government takes a decision on our request, Quadros said.

mumbai.newsline@expressindia.com

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