Scan on fleecing of tourists by taxis - Action against six cabs in Gangtok

NIRMAL MANGAR

Gangtok, June 1: Sikkim police today launched a crackdown on taxis overcharging passengers in the peak tourism season. One vehicle was taken into custody and documents seized from five other cabs.

Traffic police personnel were deployed at five points along NH31A and they checked each taxi carrying tourists to Siliguri.

The East Sikkim police swung into action following unofficial complaints that tourists were fleeced by taxis trying to exploit the shortage of cabs and ignorance of the visitors about the actual fares.

The superintendent of police of East district, Mandeep Tuli, said the law enforcers had been keeping tabs on the Mainline Taxi Stand at Deorali from the morning.

“We have been receiving complaints from the tourists that they are being forced to cough up charges double the rates fixed by the government. A team headed by subdivisional police officer of Gangtok conducted a checking at the Mainline Taxi Stand in Deorali this morning. We have also deployed two police personnel there to check the tickets bought by the passengers and ask them how much they have paid. If we find that any tourist has been fleeced, immediate action will be taken against the errant driver,” Tuli told The Telegraph.

The SDPO, Ongmu Bhutia, said the police had seized a cab from the Mainline Taxi Stand during the drive. “The taxi was taken into custody for refusing to ferry passengers to Siliguri if they didn’t pay higher fare. Besides, we also seized driving licences and other documents from five taxis for overcharging the tourists,” he said.

Apart from Deorali, the police also conducted checking at Tadong, Ranipool, Singtam, and Rangpo to find out if any passenger was overcharged by the cabs. The East district SP said fines would be slapped on drivers who duped passengers under the relevant sections of the Sikkim Motor Vehicle Act.

Some tourists have complained that drivers asked them for almost double the actual rate (Rs 150) fixed by the motor vehicle department for carrying a single person from Gangtok to Siliguri (110km).

“One driver asked me to pay Rs 5,000 to hire the entire taxi to travel from Gangtok to Siliguri. We tried to negotiate with the driver to reduce the fare, but he refused to ferry us at a lower rate. Later, we learnt that the rate of hiring the entire taxi (Tata Sumo) was only Rs 2,500,” said Shekhar Roy from Raiganj in North Dinajpur.

The crackdown has also targeted the touts at the Mainline Taxi Stand. The police warned them against loitering near the stand and exploiting the unsuspecting tourists.

The police said although the tourists always alleged that the taxis were overcharging them, none had ever come forward to lodge a complaint.

“We are here to help the tourists and commuters, but nobody comes forward and lodges the complaints. If the harassed tourists approach the police for action against the drivers, such illegal practices could be stopped,” said Bhutia.

The main reason for the commuters being taken for a ride by the taxis is the shortage of cabs during the peak season. So, the police have written to the Sikkim Nationalised Transport to operate two additional buses till the tourism season gets over. “We have requested the SNT to ply at least two more buses between Siliguri and Gangtok for the next 15 days. As of now, the SNT operates 10 buses between Sikkim and Siliguri,” said Tuli.

Around 200 cabs are available in Gangtok for trips to Siliguri.

Police in Siliguri had also launched a drive against taxis overcharging the tourists on the way to the Darjeeling hills and Sikkim. Around 30 taxis were fined and four touts arrested during the crackdown last week.

The treasurer of the Mainline Taxi Drivers’ Association, B.B. Chamling, said: “Although there is a growth in the tourist flow to Sikkim every year, there is no corresponding increase in the number of taxis. Its difficult to provide vehicles to 1,000 tourists everyday during the season and added to that, there are traffic jams on the highway because of the road widening work. We appeal to the tourists to buy tickets from the counters and avoid touts.”

Some tourists, however, felt that there should be a police help booth at Mainline Taxi Stand.

“We learnt that the nearest police outpost is almost 500 metres away. If the Sikkim police set up a kiosk at the stand, it would be more convenient for the commuters to lodge a compliant,” said a tourist from Cooch Behar. (TT)