Licence will be revoked if they commit offence after three warnings: Minister

Issuing a stern warning to rogue taxi drivers to mend their ways, Transport Minister Madan Mitra announced several penal measures for passenger refusal and rash driving here on Tuesday.

This comes after several cases of passengers being assaulted by taxi drivers have been reported.

Addressing a press conference after a meeting with several officers of the Kolkata police including Commissioner of Police Surajit Kar Purkayastha, Mr. Mitra said, “From now on, a taxi driver will be charged a fine of Rs. 3, 000 in case of passenger refusal. The driver has to pay the fine on the spot. Until he pays the fine he will be kept in police custody.” He also said that taxi owners have told him that whenever a driver violates traffic rules, it is the owners who suffer.

Emphasising that the State government is determined to curb passenger refusals by taxi drivers, Mr. Mitra said if any taxi driver was involved in passenger refusal not only would he be fined but his licence would be seized and suspended.

“The driver concerned will be warned thrice. If he commits the same offence again his licence will be permanently revoked.”

Mr. Mitra pointed out that ‘private motor training schools issue cab and transport driving licence without address verification’.

From now on, government officials will visit the driving schools to ensure that proper verification is carried out before issuing driving licence.

Mr. Mitra said in case of a major accident not only the driver but the owner of the vehicle will be penalised.

If a bus driver is responsible for a person’s death because of overtaking, then he will be charged with ‘unintentional murder’, said Mr. Mitra, adding that the same will be applied in case of lorries carrying goods beyond their capacity.

The State government will also write to the Centre to address ‘the shortcomings in the Motor Vehicles Act’, he added.

Later in the day, Deputy Commissioner of Police V. Solomon Neshakumar said ‘no refusal’ taxi bays will be set up near shopping malls, hospitals, and railway stations .