Mumbai taxi drivers moot action against govt

Mumbai, Jan 21: While Maharashtra government's new policy on the taxi drivers permits has sparked off a political and social controversy, the members of taxi unions, who would be directly affected by the move, are mulling action against it.

The Mumbai Taximen"s Union (MTU) on Thursday, Jan 21 said that it was consulting lawyers over moving the Bombay High Court against the government"s move.

The state government's Wednesday, Jan 20 to made it mandatory for cab drivers in Mumbai to be domiciled in the state and have knowledge of Marathi,

MTU leader AL Quadros termed this directive as 'undemocratic and discriminating'.

Besides approaching the HC, the union has also threatened to launch a mass agitation such as shutting down the taxi services in the city.

While City Taxi Union head Mushtaque Qureshi has appealed to the government to grant time to the taxi drivers to learn the language, State Transport Commissioner Dilip Jadhav defended government's move.

“Under MVA Sub-Sec. 8(24), the taxi permit holder must be domiciled in Maharashtra and should be able to converse in Marathi. We are now only implementing this existing provision," he said.

OneIndia News