Mumbai:
A Japanese tourist was among many who were refused a ride by Mumbai cabbies on Monday, even after the strike was called off.
"Some taxi drivers were offering to take me to the airport but for over Rs 2,000. I know they are cheating me but I need to catch my next flight to Egypt and have no other option," said Leo Ryohsuke, who was waiting for a cab at CST terminus for over two hours.
The auto and taxi union had called a strike to demand a hike in fare. Auto unions want the base price (fare for the first kilometer) to be increased from Rs 9 to Rs 11. Every additional kilometer should cost commuters Rs 6.50, they say. Taxi drivers want the minimum fare for black and yellow taxis to go from Rs 14 to Rs 16.
In the afternoon, taxi and auto union leaders met with Transport Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil, and were told their demands would be considered over the next week.
The strike was then declared over by Nitesh Rane, who heads an organization called Swaabhimaan which represents public transport drivers. The Maharashtra government will consider the demands of auto and taxi drivers within a week.
However, even at 7 pm, auto and taxi drivers had not returned to work. Harassed commuters headed to bus stops for the long route home.
"If we take a passenger and a mob of the union meets us on the way, our car could be damaged and we could be beaten up. We're therefore opting to take the safe way and waiting until morning," said a taxi driver.
The scene was no different at the domestic airport. "I had called a private taxi owner but he cancelled just as I was stepping out of my flight. Luckily, my driver was available and came to pick me up," said Navi Mumbai resident P B Baiju.
Hrishikesh Patkar, who needed to go to his home in Mulund, gave up and called for a driver when a cabbie asked for Rs 1,000. "They're clearly cheating people. If I had known, I'd have made arrangements but it's 1 am now and the only option I have is to wait."