Kaalipeelis

Fuelled by Uber and Ola, their number tripled in less than three years

The number of tourist taxis, which owe their existence to app-based taxi aggregators such as Ola and Uber, have rapidly overtaken black-and-yellow taxis in the city by registering threefold growth in less than three years.

Till January 2017, the number of tourist taxis — which need tourist permits to ply — was 55,760, while the number of black-and-yellow taxis was 55,256, according to transport department’s latest data.

Before April 2014, the city had only 13,752 tourist taxis and 43,976 black-and-yellow ones. At that time, the annual growth rate of both was less than 10%.

In the past three years, the growth rate of black-and-yellow taxis touched two digits, but tourist taxis witnessed a threefold increase in number.

Tourist taxis saw unprecedented growth not only in Mumbai, but in the entire Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR), due to the growth of Ola and Uber. The number of black-andyellow taxis went up mainly as transport department released new taxi permits after 18 years.

“The black-and-yellow taxi drivers do not even get long-distance fares since they are confined to the island city, where auto rickshaws are not allowed,” said AL Quadros, veteran taxi union leader.

Though considered a semipublic transport mode, the conventional metered black-andyellow taxis, which have been playing on Mumbai roads since 1911, are an essential part of Mumbai’s transport network.

However, the app-based taxis have made daily commute more comfortable for Mumbaiites and also provided opportunities for drivers to become car owners. In Mumbai Metropolitan Region, the number of tourist taxis touched 1.25 lakh till January 2017 from 61,000 in March 2014, registering a growth of 104% .

According to RTO officials, the number of tourist taxis also include luxury cabs, but only 15-20% of those are used for tourism purposes. However, the majority are used as Ola and Uber cabs.

A senior official said majority of tourist taxis ply on Mumbai roads but are registered at different RTO offices in MMR. “Including black-and-yellow cabs, the total number of cabs plying in Mumbai could be more than one lakh. The number of app-based taxis plying on Mumbai roads could be double the number of black-and-yellow cabs,” he said.

The practice of tourist taxis being operated as app-based cabs by aggregators has badly affected business of black-andyellow cabs and that motivated them to demand curbs on the competitors. The state government then brought a new Maharashtra City Taxi Rules 2017 to regulate app-based cabs and put a cap on surge pricing.

To clear confusion about medical admissions, officials from the state medical education department will meet the managements of deemed medical institutes for a final discussion. While the state has made it clear that admission to 50% of postgraduate seats in all institutes will be conducted by the Directorate of Medical Education & Research (DMER), their attempt to conduct common admission process to fill 85% of undergraduate seats in all medical institutes is yet to be finalised.

Earlier this month, two separate circulars were released by the MCI and the Centre stating that admissions to all medical and dental institutes will be conducted through a common process by the respective state government bodies. Despite this, the deemed institutes in the state are demanding an exemption form this. “Since the deemed institute are not ready to budge, we want to discuss this matter with them before they this any further,” said a senior official form the medical education department. He added, “The common entrance exam is meant to introduce uniformity to the medical education system, and common admission is the way to go,” he added.

While in 2016 the Bombay HC had allowed deemed institutes to conduct their own admissions, the Supreme Court had overturned this ruling. The apex court had once again ordered the state government to fill up the remaining vacant seats in deemed medical institutes in Maharashtra. Another petition was then filed in September by a deemed institute, seeking exemption from this rule in 2017 and the hearing on this petition will be held soon.

“Our institutes have been granted the autonomous status by the University Grants Commission and we cannot be forced to be part of a common admission process. We are not conducting a separate entrance test, we just to be allowed to fill up seats ourselves,” said the vice-chairperson of a deemed institute in Pune. He added that the meeting will not change their stand on this issue. “We will take this matter to the apex body, if need be,” he added.