Taxi, maxicab drivers, owners oppose installing GPS, panic button devices in tourist vehicles

The Taximen and Maxicab Associations of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts have opposed the State government making it compulsory to install GPS and panic button devices in tourist vehicles.

They plan to hold protests in Mangaluru and Udupi on Tuesday to urge the government to withdraw its decision.

‘Burden on taxi drivers and owners’

Addressing press conferences in Mangaluru and Udupi on Monday, K. Ananda Gowda, president of Dakshina Kananda Association and Ramesh K. Kotian, general secretary of Udupi Association, said that though the government had fixed ₹7,550 as the fee for installing both the devices, the offices of Regional Transport Officers across the State are collecting between ₹13,000 and ₹15,000 to fix them. This is a burden on taxi drivers and owners, they said.

Speed governors

They said that the State government earlier had made installing speed governors compulsory in commercial vehicles. But there is no follow up. Now, nobody is checking whether there is a speed governor in a commercial vehicle or not. The government seems to have connived with private companies to fill its coffers by making installing specific brands of GPS and panic buttons compulsory, they said.

Mr. Gowda said that the Transport Minister has ordered that the fitness certificate of tourist vehicles can be renewed till the end of September without fixing the two devices. But the RTOs are insisting that the fitness certificates will not be renewed unless the devices are fixed.

Already installed

Mr. Kotian said, ‘‘In fact, about 60% of tourist vehicle operators in Udupi district have already installed GPS and panic button devices by paying ₹3,300 for both. But the government wants all taxi drivers/owners to spend ₹15,000 as the already installed devices are not accepted at the RTO while renewing the fitness certificates,” he rued.

He said that the State government is not taking any action against owners of white number plate vehicles (private vehicles) who are illegally rendering their vehicles for hire.

‘‘Tourist vehicle drivers or owners who opted for self-employment are unnecessarily being harassed by the government,’’ Mr. Kotian said.

The protest in Mangaluru will be held in front of mini Vidhana Soudha while it will be conducted in Udupi in front of Deputy Commissioner’s office.