Taxi operators firm on fare hike

 Members of Bangalore Tourist Taxi Owners’ Association, who met here on Saturday to discuss the repercussions of the recent hike in diesel prices, have decided  to go for a fare hike for all types of services in the State.

A final decision on the nature of the hike will, however, be taken after a meeting of the association members with the Transport department next week.

K Radhakrishna Holla, general secretary, BTTOA, told Deccan Herald that almost all the members of the association had demanded a steep hike in taxi fares, as the sector was being hit every now and then in one form or the other.

“We are yet recover from the directives of the government pertaining to speed governors, GPS installation, etc. Also, there are taxes such as VAT, cess, customs, etc, haunting us. Amid all this has come the  diesel price hike,” he said.

Another member of the association said the fare hike would be a minimum of Rs 3 for economy vehicles and Rs 5 to Rs 6 for premium vehicles.

Increased competition

“There is an increased competition in the City among different taxi services and many operators are already running under loss. The State government should come to our rescue. Or else, the fare revision would be inevitable,” Holla said. More than 80,000 cabs and 53,685 Maxi cabs operate in Karnataka.