Cab drivers’ protest at Ruby Crossing leads to massive traffic congestion

Kolkata: Massive traffic congestion took place on Monday after cab drivers put up a blockade on Eastern Metropolitan (EM) Bypass, in front of Paribahan Bhavan at Kasba on Monday.

Frustrated with long queues for CNG refill, the app cab drivers staged the protest. Initially police tried to convince them to withdraw the blockade as the spot is just a few metres from the Ruby crossing. When the cab drivers remained at their point, police started diverting the North bound vehicles from the South bound lane. The vehicles were sent to the Northbound road again through a cut out on EM Bypass after the Paribahan Bhavan while the South bound vehicles were diverted through the service road to avail the Ruby crossing.

A meeting on the issue will be held next Saturday and a deputation will be submitted to the Transport department secretary. The General Secretary of Online Cab Operators Guild Indranil Banerjee said that lack of proper infrastructure for CNG supply is the primary cause for the problem. The drivers claimed that they have to wait in queues for two to three hours most of the day for the gas. This leads to loss in the number of trips and thus monetary loss, the drivers claimed.

According to Banerjee, there are 2000 CNG cabs being plied in Kolkata and suburbs. However, according to sources, there are CNG pumps in only four areas–Ruby. Garia, three in New Town and two at Tollygunge. Another pump in the suburb is at Sodepur.