Ahmedabad Pre-paid Taxi Drivers Association

Azad Society

Satellite

driver

Director RK Singh

Regional Transport Office

Chandu Gohil

Airport Authority of India’s a step meant to protect the interest of fliers ended up putting them through inconvenience as the officials forgot to publicise the decision and keep the alternative ready for them. The authority on Friday shut down the pre-paid taxi service at the airport after receiving several complaints of thestaff were charging passengers more than approved fare.However, the passengers were at a loss as they did not know of the development had not made alternative arrangements like asking some to pick them up. The result was most of the passengers, like M Mazumdar and Ayub, ended up inconvenienced. Mazumdar, a resident ofin, said, “This is not fair. The airport authority should have informed us in advance or the people should have been intimated of this. As myis on not here I was to hire a taxi but now will have to find out some alternative,” she told Mirror. Said Airport, “When the association placed its bid for the contract it was told that the amount it proposed as rent and other services was not realistic but it promised that it will pay us that amount. Since it was the highest bid, the tender was awarded. We even had written letters to the association about the same."“The association then started charging extra money from the passengers in addition to what it had to give to the authority. We received several complaints from passengers against the additional charge. So we had to finally shut down the service. We will provide the numbers of private cab service to the passengers. A hoarding with the numbers will be put up at the airport. Besides, rental taxis are available at the airport.” Singh pointed out that the city had been doing without published cab rates for the last 15 years. “We had written to the(RTO) and to the traffic police for a fare list, but they have not responded to us,” Singh said. Association presidentwas not available for comments.