Taxis to wear "no refusal" on bodies in WB

Kolkata: West Bengal Transport Minister Madan Mitra on Friday said that the words `no refusal` would have to be inscribed on the bodies of all meter taxis in the metropolis, where refusal of passengers for various reasons by drivers is a common problem.

"This will come into effect immediately and checked during certificate of fitness at motor vehicles offices," Mitra told newspersons here. He said that it has come to the notice of the transport department that with the launch of new no-refusal taxi fleet, which are white in colour with a blue border, operators of the ubiquitous yellow cabs are refusing passengers more blatantly and were also not allowing the new taxis to share stands at several places in the city. The minister also said that autorickshaw drivers would be given three-wheeler licenses by the PVDs to properly trained people, which are till now given only to those holding a four-wheeler driving license. "For this, we have talked to the Bidhannagar Police Commissionerate and a place would be identified at Rajarhat Newtown for setting up an office for this purpose," he said.