Taxi union want a cap on the number of taxis in Delhi

NEW DELHI: Fearing expansion of app-based taxi services in the city, a taxi union has requested the Delhi government to fix a cap on maximum numbers of all taxis in the National Capital like in case of auto-rickshaws.

Delhi Pradesh Taxi Union has written to Delhi Transport minister Gopal Rai and also urged him to order his department to stop issuing new permits to taxis.

Union's general secretary Rajendra Soni said that as per court's order, one lakh auto-rickshaws can ply in the capital and there is also need to put a cap on numbers of taxis.

"The numbers of taxis, including app-based, has increased manifolds in last few years, but there is no more space on roads which will accommodate mushrooming numbers of these vehicles," Soni said.

In the letter, he said, "There should be a ban on issuing new permits to app-based taxi aggregators, vehicles wanting to run under 'City Taxi' scheme.

"Government should also not issue new All India Tourist Taxi permits and yellow-black taxis. Instead, the department should introduce replacement scheme for them."

If app-based taxi aggregators are issued new permits, it will affect the livelihood of taxis' drivers, Soni also said.