Dial a number for app cab on poll day for emergency
Commuters facing difficulties in booking a ride on the online app cab platforms for medical or similar emergency situations tomorrow could avail one by dialing a few numbers.
Even as the commuters’ distress worsened today, members of the online app cab drivers’ union, state luxury taxi union and a section of yellow taxi drivers gheraoed police stations and aggregators’ office and protested against the alleged harassment by the police.
Around 200 yellow taxi drivers of under the umbrella of AITUC-affiliated Kolkata Taxi Operators’ Union marched in a rally from Subodh Mallick Square to the city police headquarters today. The crowd of drivers participating in the ‘Lal Bazar Abhijan’ alleged harassment by the police in the form of fines, unexplained cases, or even unjustified thrashing.
They also submitted a memorandum to the Lal Bazar officials demanding immediate steps to be taken on the issue.
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The taxi union also threatened to intensify their protest by going on a strike next month if their demands remain unheard till then.
According to a senior member of the organisation, senior Lal Bazar officers have given a proposal of a meeting between the members of the taxi union and DCs (traffic) of four areas, Kolkata, Howrah, Bidhannagar and Barrackpore.
Simultaneously, another rally was organised by members of the CITU-affiliated online app cab drivers’ union ending in a gherao of the Amhearst Street Police Station at around 3.30 p.m.
The members of the organisation voiced similar assertions of alleged misconduct by the police. In sync with the protesting fellow drivers of other unions, members of the luxury taxi union protested in front of the office of one of the online app aggregators at Ballygunge this morning.
Meanwhile, officials of the state transport department talked to the members of the West Bengal Online Cab Operators’ Guild (WBOCOG) asking about the agitation. “The transport department official has told us that the door for discussion is still open. However, unless the result is fruitful, there is no point in discussing the matter,” said a guild member.
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