Staff reporter
Guwahati: In a major step, Guwahati metro share taxi owners have stated that they intend to stop operations after November 10 if authorities do not address their worries about monetary losses. These losses are attributed by the Guwahati Metro Share Taxi Owners’ Association to the unchecked growth of e-rickshaws and e-autos on the city’s major thoroughfares, which they say has resulted in extreme traffic jams and a drop in their business.
While talking to The Sentinel, an official of Guwahati Metro Share Taxi Owners’ Association said that the number of e-rickshaws and e-autos has surged in the past three to four years. The association claims that even though these vehicles are crucial for last-mile connectivity in situations where conventional taxis and buses are unavailable, their presence on major thoroughfares is making traffic conditions more chaotic. Authorities are being urged by the association to enforce the Motor Vehicles Act’s prohibition on e-rickshaws operating on major thoroughfares by November 10. They threaten to suspend services indefinitely if this demand is not satisfied.
Increasing fines are another burden mentioned by taxi owners, in addition to competition from e-rickshaws. According to reports, a large number of operators have fines exceeding Rs 50,000, which keeps them from renewing the required permits and paperwork and exacerbates their financial problems. The busiest routes for the 1,760 share taxis that currently run in Guwahati are Khanapara to Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport and Nepali Mandir to the Balaji temple on NH-37. There are 285 taxis that run on the Paltan Bazar-Balaji route, and 371 taxis that serve the airport route.
The Guwahati Metro Share Taxi Owners’ Association has called upon city officials to intervene and address their grievances.
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