Taxi drivers in Himachal fined for not installing meters

Shimla, Oct 22 (UNI) Getting tough with taxi operators, the Himachal Pradesh's transport department today booked over hundred taxis for not installing meters and collected spot fines so as to implement an High Court directive of enforcing the taxi meter scheme in the state.

''To implement the High Court order regarding taxi meter scheme, a special drive was launched today and nine different teams were constituted for this purpose,'' a spokesman for the transport department said in a release here.

He said the flying squads constituted issued spot tickets to 101 taxis and collected Rs 15,500 as fine.

The drive to implement the scheme would continue, he said and added that tje taxi owners had been given enough opportunity to install taxi meters by the transport department and action was initiated after giving due opportunity and time to taxi operators.

The spokesman warned that action against violators would be taken in accordance with Central Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 which could even be cancellation of taxi operating permits.

UNI