Mangaluru: MP Nalin Kumar Kateel has urged the local taxi drivers not to oppose the operation of online taxi at Central Railway station.
He was responding to the grievances of local taxi drivers during the railway grievance meeting at Nethravathi auditorium of Zilla Panchayat building on Wednesday, November 28.
Dinesh Kumpala of local taxi drivers’ Union informed that after the operation of online taxi at central railway station, the local taxi drivers are facing problems. “Our earnings have taken a nosedive after the operation of online taxi began. Hence, railway department should not allow online taxi drivers to pick passengers from the premises of the railway station”, he said.
But, Nalin denied to entertain his demand saying that public should be benefited from the advanced technology and hence online taxis cannot be stopped.
” It is not possible to ban the online taxi operation as it gives service to the public at lesser fee. Hence, local taxi unions should not oppose the online taxi operation. If there are other issues between online and local taxi drivers we can try to rectify the problems “, he said.
When some social activists informed that four laning work between BC Road and Addahole has been stopped, the officials of National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) clarified that the work has not been stalled.
Officials also informed that as some additional proposals also have been added to the original plan of highway widening, it need to be cleared from the higher officials. Besides that, due to the landslide at some areas between BC Road and Addahole, around 40 hectares of additional land need to be acquired. Hence, the work has been delayed, officials clarified.
Divisional Railway Manager (DRM) of Southern Railways (Palghat Division) Pratap Singh Shami, Puttur MLA Sanjeeva Matandoor and Mangaluru City Corporation (MCC) Commissioner Mohammed Nazir were present.
