Prepaid taxi counters at Howrah Rly station fleecing passengers

KOLKATA: Passengers booking taxis from the prepaid taxi booth outside Howrah Railway station are allegedly being charged extra for their rides. It has been alleged that the persons sitting at the counters charge around Rs 3 to Rs 5 extra without informing the passengers about the actual fare.

According to sources, when a passenger approaches the prepaid taxi counters outside Howrah railway station which are being managed by the Progressive Taximen's Union, the persons sitting inside the counters tell the passengers the amount payable for the journey. After giving the said amount the concerned person at the counter, hands over a printed receipt copy in two parts. The first part, which is detachable is meant for the drivers and the other part is passenger's copy. In both parts, the registration number of the taxi is being printed. However, while handing over the slip, the concerned person tells the number to the passengers so that they do not go through the slip.

Apart from duping the passengers, the person sitting at the counters from where taxi drivers' are being paid also charges extra for withdrawing money. According to the norms, the taxi drivers will collect their money from a designated counter after dropping off the passengers at their destinations. But often the drivers convince passengers to handover their part of the slip so that they can withdraw the money then and there. It has been alleged that if a taxi driver wishes to withdraw the money before then and there, Rs 20 is being charged instead of Rs 10.

Sambhunath Dey, general secretary of the union admitted that a group of people are doing such illegal activities. He said; "We do not encourage such activity," he added. However Deputy Commissioner, Traffic of Howrah City Police, Arnab Biswas said, "No such incidents or complaints have come to our notice recently."