M’lore local cabs rob consumers freedom of choice.

M’lore local cabs rob consumers freedom of choice.

Mangalore Today News Network

MANGALURU: The consumer is free to choose as per law of the land,  but in  Mangaluru this law has been suspended by  taxi drivers of Mangaluru International Airport (MIA).   Book a cab from taxi operator ’Ola’,  and the person reaching the airport or getting home from airport is doubtful as seen from the recent events.

Threatened by cheaper Ola services the local taxi operators at MIA are preventing Ola cabs from  entering MIA premises.   Ola costs Rs 180 to Rs 200 from city to MIA one way, whereas any other taxi, be it from ATTA or others, charge a minimum of Rs 450 to Rs 600 depending on the destination in the city.

But Walter D’Cunha, vice-president, of local taxi operators  stoutly denies this.    He does not deny that Ola’s lower fares was an issue.   It’s okay if they drop the passenger. But picking passengers from the airport is a strict-no. They cannot hang around and pick passengers. We don’t have objection for picking up passengers who have booked online. Many of us in the association were displaced during the construction of the airport. We have formed an association and eking our livelihood. These fares are designed to kill us and like all MNCs do. They too will jack their fares when they have monopoly.    The local taxi association has  150 taxis and close to 2,000 taxis ply to the airport, which are local plus from Kerala. We oppose only Ola? They don’t have permission and they are resorting to price wars. 

An Ola insider says: The customer gets what’s on the fare chart. We neither charge more or less nor do we charge for return fare. All other taxis charge even return fare fleecing customer. When we provide better fare and service, naturally customers choose us and this is one of the major hurdles.  The second is service, which others don’t provide.

On the permission to operate in Mangaluru, the person said: We have permission and the same has been handed over to the RTO. Let ATTA prove that we don’t have the right  to operate in  Mangaluru in the court. They should not resort to assaulting our drivers. It’s unjust for they are doing a duty to public. 

MIA Airport Director JT Radhakrishna stated that  the MIA  policy was that  any taxi can come inside the airport - pick and drop passengers. The taxi drivers have an issue regarding permission to the taxi aggregator. We have warned them not to indulge in such behaviour in future.

As of now, Ola cabs are operating without  ID logos  incognito and escape  wrath of airport taximen. But  Ola driver’s phone with GPS is a dead giveaway which  attracts attention and the cabs are harassed by the local taxi men.