Himachal transport minister tells striking cab owners to follow 5 rules

Shimla : With private commercial operators including trucks , buses , taxis , auto-rickshaws remaining off the roads for the second day , even as the state transport minister G S Bali on Tuesday said there was no proposal to increase taxes .

“The government has no plans of increasing taxes of most categories of commercial vehicles for the next three years so there is no reason to strike and cause inconvenience to people ,” he said .

The transport minister also put across his five demands to taxi operators to follow strictly .

These include installing metres in all taxis . Displaying taxi fares and schedules . Wearing uniforms and displaying of driving licences by all drivers .

Compulsory visits to workshops at regular intervals and not to compete with stage carriages as their rules are different .

Bali appealed to all political parties including the ruling Congress to make their position clear on these five demands .

“My job is to provide a long-term sustainable transport system ,” he said .

Bali expressed surprise that even though he was the state’s transport minister the striking commercial vehicle operators have never approached him for talks during the past one year .

“How come they are meeting the Congress state unit party president and the state youth Congress president among others but not me,” he complained .

Commercial vehicle owners are protesting against the proposed hike in route permits , licence and composition fee .

The government has proposed to amend the motor vehicles act .