Kolkatans to get mobile app for booking yellow taxis ahead of Durga Puja

Kolkata: People of the city will now be able to book a yellow taxi through a mobile app, with Bengal Taxi Association (BTA) deciding to launch the service before Durga Puja this year.

"The mobile app for booking yellow taxis is expected to be launched before Durga Puja this year," said Bimal Guha, general secretary of BTA.

The name of the app, however, has not been decided yet. The mechanism of the app will be similar to popular cab hailing apps such as Ola or Uber. It will also have route-sharing options, vehicle tracking system and panic button.

"We want to give better services to passengers. The design and name of the yellow taxi hailing app has not been decided. We are in talks with the technicians," pointed out Guha. The online app-based cab service will allow passengers to book both AC and non-AC vehicles. Payment can be done both digitally and by cash.

The decision to launch the app comes at a time when yellow taxis are toiling for existence. At present, the number of yellow taxis plying across the city is approximately 23,000. Earlier, there were 28,000 taxis across the city. The number of taxis has gone down drastically during the last five years.

The 72-hour taxi strike called by BTA, scheduled to start from August 6, was deferred after receiving assurance from the state Transport department about meeting their demands soon.

The demands of the unions are hike in taxi fare, action against police harassing taxi drivers on road and setting up of taxi stands at different places across the city.