BEST union threatens stir, cabbies oppose fee at airports

MUMBAI: While the BEST Workers’ Union has threatened an indefinite bus strike from January 7 to press for various demands, including the merger of BEST and BMC budgets, a taxi union has moved court against the ‘convenience charge’ levied on prepaid cabs at airports.
BEST sources said the union will hold depot meetings from Thursday to seek employees’ feedback and conduct a poll on whether the strike call is justified.Union leader Shashank Rao said: “The BEST panel and BMC house have cleared the proposal for merging the two budgets, but the administration is not sending it for clearance to the urban development department.”
Taxi union leader K K Tiwari, who has challenged the convenience charge levied by airport authorities on prepaid taxis in Andheri magistrate’s court, said: “It is an exorbitant charge and a burden on commuters, besides escalating fare.” The hearing is on January 2. But airport sources said: “The convenience charge is being levied to recover expenses for services like parking bays, drinking water and toilets for cabbies.”