<p>The union had sought details regarding the total money collected as service charge by the traffic police for running the pre-paid taxi booth at Indira Gandhi International Airport and the details of how the money is spent. Rs 10 service charge is levied on commuters for terminals one and three.<br /><br />The taxi union had filed an RTI petition on November 18, 2011. The traffic department duly replied to the petition on November 29. The traffic department has revealed that it has collected Rs 1,29,72,870 and Rs 63,02,700, respectively, from the two terminals as service charge.<br /><br />Taxi drivers doubt the figures provided by the traffic police. “Around 650 taxis are registered with the union and each taxi makes four to five rounds a day. On an average, at least 2,500 to 3,000 people use the pre-paid booth at the domestic terminal. At the rate of Rs 10, they collect around Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per day. Service charge at this rate is in vogue for the last six to seven years,” alleged Virender Singh Ujjainwal, president of Delhi Airport Taxi union, who filed the RTI.<br /><br />What has irked the taxi drivers even more is the claim of the traffic department about the heads under which they have spent the collected amount. In its reply, the traffic department has enlisted maintenance of pre-paid booths, stationery, computers, salary to the staff, electricity bills and providing basic facilities like, sheds, water coolers and uniforms for the taxi drivers.<br /><br />Taxi drivers allege that the traffic police have not spent a single rupee for providing any facility to them. “We have erected this shed with contributions from fellow taxi drivers.<br /><br /> Everything that you see here; be it water cooler, fans, television or beds, all have been bought by us. We can produce the bills of them,” said Abhimanyu, accountant of the taxi union. <br /><br />Several other drivers joined the chorus with the union members saying they have never heard of any driver receiving a uniform from the traffic department. Now, the union has decided to appeal against the RTI reply, or file another RTI if the appellate authority does not entertain their plea.</p>
<p>The union had sought details regarding the total money collected as service charge by the traffic police for running the pre-paid taxi booth at Indira Gandhi International Airport and the details of how the money is spent. Rs 10 service charge is levied on commuters for terminals one and three.<br /><br />The taxi union had filed an RTI petition on November 18, 2011. The traffic department duly replied to the petition on November 29. The traffic department has revealed that it has collected Rs 1,29,72,870 and Rs 63,02,700, respectively, from the two terminals as service charge.<br /><br />Taxi drivers doubt the figures provided by the traffic police. “Around 650 taxis are registered with the union and each taxi makes four to five rounds a day. On an average, at least 2,500 to 3,000 people use the pre-paid booth at the domestic terminal. At the rate of Rs 10, they collect around Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 per day. Service charge at this rate is in vogue for the last six to seven years,” alleged Virender Singh Ujjainwal, president of Delhi Airport Taxi union, who filed the RTI.<br /><br />What has irked the taxi drivers even more is the claim of the traffic department about the heads under which they have spent the collected amount. In its reply, the traffic department has enlisted maintenance of pre-paid booths, stationery, computers, salary to the staff, electricity bills and providing basic facilities like, sheds, water coolers and uniforms for the taxi drivers.<br /><br />Taxi drivers allege that the traffic police have not spent a single rupee for providing any facility to them. “We have erected this shed with contributions from fellow taxi drivers.<br /><br /> Everything that you see here; be it water cooler, fans, television or beds, all have been bought by us. We can produce the bills of them,” said Abhimanyu, accountant of the taxi union. <br /><br />Several other drivers joined the chorus with the union members saying they have never heard of any driver receiving a uniform from the traffic department. Now, the union has decided to appeal against the RTI reply, or file another RTI if the appellate authority does not entertain their plea.</p>
