Mumbai: Kaali-peeli taxi drivers’ latest demand — surge pricing during peak hours

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After fare hike, the Kaali-peeli (black-and-yellow) taxi drivers have now demanded surge pricing during peak hours, on the lines of app-based cabs like Ola and Uber.

Mumbai taxi union has made the demand so its member drivers don’t feel the pinch from the ‘Happy Hours’, which proposes that kaali-peeli fares be brought down between noon and 4 pm. The Happy Hours concept was suggested by the Khatua Committee, and the state transport department will hold a meeting, likely on June 25, with taxi unions and passenger associations to discuss the idea.

AL Quadros, taxi union leader told, “We are against the Happy Hours’ scheme. The taxi business is already hit and this would further hurt earnings. If this is approved, then we also want surge pricing such as is applicable to aggregator cabs during morning and evening rush hours.”

This comes amid tensions between the black-and-yellow taxi drivers and app-based cabs like Ola and Uber. The taxi unions claim that the Ola and Uber drivers get higher fares if passenger books via the app and hence surge pricing should be applicable to all. Shirish Deshpande, president of the city-based consumer group Mumbai Grahak Panchayat, told the leading daily, “We are demanding Happy Hour scheme for passengers. The taxis should ply in suburbs as well where there is demand, rather than going for surge pricing.”