Darjeeling bar on more taxi syndicates

Darjeeling, May 25.TT: Darjeeling has moved closer to a partial solution to the town’s perennial traffic problem with the municipality deciding not to issue permission to set up new taxi syndicates.

In another move to tackle the traffic snarls, the district administration today decided to conduct a survey to finalise the number of taxis each syndicate could park at the allotted space at a given time.

The decision on the survey was taken at a meeting convened by the Darjeeling municipality here today. The meeting was held to discuss the syndicates’ objection to a notification issued by the regional transport authority in November, specifying the number of taxis that would be allowed to park at a designated spot at a particular time.

The All Transport Joint Action Committee — an umbrella organisation of taxi syndicates — opposed the order, saying the allotment was not proportionate to the number of vehicles each syndicate had under its fold.

The meeting was attended by regional transport officer Pasang Bhutia, deputy superintendent of police of Darjeeling Purnima Sherpa and the representatives of various syndicates among others.

Amar Singh Rai, the chairperson of the Darjeeling municipality, told the meeting that the civic body wouldn’t allow more taxi syndicates here. “We have taken a policy decision of not allowing any more taxi syndicates in town to curb the traffic snarls,” he said.

The town has 56 taxi syndicates, almost at every bend of the road. The authorities had felt that traffic congestion in the town could be tackled to some extent if a restriction was imposed on the number of vehicles the syndicate could have at their designated lots at a particular time. Accordingly, the RTA issued the notification, specifying the number of taxis that each syndicate could park at their allotted spots.

“The syndicates opposed the order, saying the allocation was disproportionate. They cited an example of Kurseong Motor Syndicate which has 153 taxis on its roll but was allowed to park only four vehicles at the allotted space at a specified time under the RTA notification. They also said many syndicates with less number of taxis had been given more space,” said Rai.

He said a survey would be conducted to put an end to the controversy. “The meeting resolved that the police and the syndicates would conduct separate surveys to decide how many taxis will be allowed at an allotted space.”

DSP Sherpa said once the survey was conducted and a final decision was taken on the parking, no further negotiations would be held. “We will then start taking action against the erring drivers.”

The police will also mark out parking spaces with yellow lines, which according to Rai, had been opposed by the syndicates earlier.

Rai said long term measures like the construction of parking stand were needed to solve the traffic problem. “However, the need of the hour is to come up with immediate solutions. The police have expressed concern over the congestion along NC Goenka Road and in Judge Bazar area and have asked the syndicates to find a solution,” said Rai.

Pramod Srimal, the general secretary of the All Transport Joint Action Committee, said: “We were asked to submit the (survey) list, which we will do soon. The administration must build more parking stands as traffic snarls cannot be solved just by removing two or three vehicles from a given place.”