Taxis are the problem, not the solution

I fail to understand why the taximen's union is demanding the banning of private cars into the island city. In Mumbai, motor cars are not...

I fail to understand why the taximen8217;s union is demanding the banning of private cars into the island city. In Mumbai, motor cars are not a luxury, they are a necessity. Look at the overcrowded state of our trains and buses. Do you expect a person who has an alternative to driving a motor car to travel hanging in trains and buses?

I challenge to an open debate any of the transport experts who call private motor cars the biggest problem in Mumbai. Just stand at Marine Drive and let8217;s see who the biggest polluters are.

Taxis are the problem, not the solution. For every 100 taxis, 90 are polluting, while for an equal number of private cars, barely one or two are polluting. Even the transport commissioner has admitted taxis are among the biggest polluters in the city.

The reason being that in order to save money, most taxi drivers have switched over from petrol to diesel engines, using discarded Japanese Diahatsu engines which emit thick black smoke. Though diesel engines are comparatively more expensive tomaintain, taxi drivers do not spend the money required.

I have already stated that if any private motor car is found to be polluting, the transport department can impound these cars and take action against them. The WIAA will stand by the transport authorities.

It8217;s high time we switched over to alternative modes of transport like maxicabs, elevated railways and metro railways.

The taxi union is also demanding that private cars be stopped at Haji Ali. Where are you going to park these 3 lakh cars? Crossroads has a problem handling even 100 cars there.

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The taxi union is raising these demands because they have no clients, the reason being they are overpriced and uneconomical. Besides, it is a case of supply being far in excess of the demand. The city simply doesn8217;t need 55,000 taxis. Consequently, this large number of taxis are among the biggest causes of congestion. The WIAA has videotaped the haphazard way they are parked in the island city, causing traffic congestion. Taxis can park themselvesanywhere almost at will, while private cars cannot park in taxi stands.

Despite all this, we8217;re still not suggesting a ban on taxis. We need a fewer number of better-maintained taxis driven by polite and disciplined drivers.

Nitin Dossa is President of the Western India Automobile Association WIAA