Sealdah cabbies booked for refusals

Kolkata: Sealdah traffic guard has launched a drive to ensure that taxis and app cabs enter the pre-paid booth adjacent to the station and pick up passengers without demanding extra fares or refusing to use the Yatri Sathi app despite being registered. Those failing to do so are being heavily penalized. On Tuesday, 28 prosecutions took place in Sealdah rail and court complex area. Taxi drivers deliberately park illegally to refuse passengers and carry goods at high incentives or demand extra fares, claimed police.“The idea is to ensure that passengers can go to designated spots to board cabs. Taxis will have to enter bay and then exit even if they come to drop passengers. App cabs can drop passengers closer to south section. But we will not tolerate any illegal parking near the court, Metro station and BR Singh Hospital. If a taxi is found parked near the complex, the driver will be prosecuted for illegal parking,” said a senior officer.Cops have also set up separate lanes for taxis using Yatri Sathi app and those not plying with it. “Taxis dropping off passengers rush out of the complex trying not to enter taxi lane. Taxis plying on Yatri Sathi app is negligible. App cabs, in order to avoid paying parking fees, make you walk all the way to BR Singh Hospital gates or even Sealdah flyover arm,” said Anindya Sarkar, a Sinthee resident.“In case of taxi refusal please inform us at control room number — 03322505096/22143644,” the DCP Traffic handle tweeted recently.