Long-distance train & flight passengers can hire app cabs

KOLKATA: Long distance train and flight passengers can avail app cab services after showing their tickets during the 15-day lockdown in the state.

"We will offer the service only if the passenger shows the ticket to the driver. There will be no extra charges," said Indranil Banerjee, General Secretary of West Bengal Online Cab Operators Guild (WBOCOG).

Passengers availing Ola or Uber service from Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport or Howrah station or Sealdah station will have to send the soft copy of the flight or train ticket via WhatsApp to the cab driver after booking the vehicle.

"If booking is done from a residential area and the passenger is unwell and wants to go to the hospital, then the cab driver will drop him/her to the hospital or nursing or doctor's clinic,"said Md Manu, General Secretary of Kolkata Ola Uber App Cab Operator and Drivers' Union.

State Chief Secretary Alapan Bandyopadhyay on Saturday announced that Bengal would go under a near lockdown for two weeks starting May 16. In a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19 infections, all offices and educational institutions will remain shut down during this period.

The transport services in the state, including Kolkata Metro, will remain suspended. Movement of private vehicles, taxis, ferries, buses, metro rail, and suburban trains (suspended with effect from May 6, 2021) will also be disallowed during the 15- day lockdown period.

"Immediately after the announcement, the state Transport department issued a notification urging private bus operators to run more and more buses on May 15 so that people should reach home safely as soon as possible," said Tapan Banerjee, General Secretary of Joint Council of Bus Syndicates.