Maharashtra government may soon allow Mumbaikars to enjoy an air conditioned taxi ride in the Mumbai's Kaali-peelis at 25 percent more fare than the original one
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In a move to compete with app based cab aggregators, Maharashtra government has decided to allow Mumbai’s Kaali-peelis to operate as normal-cum AC taxis in the city soon. According to sources in the Mantralaya, the AC ride in Mumbai’s Kaali-peelis is proposed to cost 25% extra than the original fare.
Taxi union leader A L Quadros welcomed the decision and told to Times of India "This has been our union's demand for two years. Most of our cars are new models with in-built AC. There are several commuters who demand AC and are willing to pay 10-25% extra, especially during summer. However, when our drivers offer this service, they are caught by traffic cops (they target kaali-peelis with the windows up). But soon, it will be legal to charge extra for AC rides."
A transport ministry official said that as most Mumbai taxis are new models, which have pre installed air conditioners, the official permission of allowing taxi drivers to use AC will let passengers enjoy an AC ride without hassle. When this will be allowed for an extra charge, the city taxis will compete with app-based cabs. Transport expert Rishi Aggarwal told the daily. "With the proposed 25% hike for AC fares for taxis, the cost of a ride could be 40-45% higher than by Ola or Uber,".
When asked about the high prices charged by cab aggregators, A L Quadros said that AC Kaali-peelis in Mumbai is just an option for the city-goers. The AC will be switched on only when the passenger requests for it during a ride.
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