Cabbies plan to move Bombay HC after airport authorities auction off their cabs parked during lockdown citing security concerns
Suraj Singh’s cool cab at the international airport before auction
As the pandemic sucked the zing out of Mumbai last year, the passenger footfall at the city’s airport became a trickle, cutting off Suraj Singh’s income as a cabbie. Left with no means to support his family due to the lockdown, Suraj parked his taxi at the airport and headed for his hometown, unaware that a bigger shock awaited him. He is among 40 cabbies whose taxis have now been auctioned for being left at the airport for several months.
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Many cabbies said they were not even aware of the proceeding against them as they had gone home during lockdown
The cabbies plan to move the Bombay High Court against the decision of the Mumbai International Airport Limited. Dr Randhir Lamba, AVP-Corporate Relations at MIAL, says the first notice was sent to the cabbies’ registered addresses on December 25, 2020, the second in the first week of February 2021 followed by a public notice in newspapers.
The taxi drivers, however, said their registered addresses are of Mumbai and there was no way they could have known about the notices. They said they never imagined such a harsh step would be taken during a national crisis.
Suraj, 35, said he somehow managed for a few days but it became nearly impossible to even feed his wife, two children and parents. “I returned to Mumbai a few months ago and went to the airport to take my cool cab. One of the tyres and some parts were missing. The repair cost was about R15,000. While I was busy arranging for the money in the middle of the second wave, they auctioned my taxi last month,” he told mid-day.
During pre-pandemic days, there used to be over 1,000 taxis at the parking lot of Mumbai airport daily. The scene drastically changed after a lockdown was imposed. MIAL said nearly 200 cabs remained parked for several months.
Chhotelal Pandey, 50, has been ferrying Mumbaikars in his taxi for years and would visit the airport daily. Like Suraj, Chhotelal too went to his village last year. “I’ve learnt from friends that my taxi has been auctioned. I’ve five kids and you know how costly it is to live in Mumbai. That’s why I didn’t go back to Mumbai. I had bought the vehicle in 2009 and paid off the loan a few years ago. Just when I was free from EMIs, I lost my taxi.”
Picking up and dropping off airport passengers was a daily ritual for Kanchan Singh. The 32-year-old Marol resident, too, left Mumbai for two square meals for himself and his family. When he returned, one tyre, the battery and some parts of his taxi had been stolen. “I needed to spend Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 to make my taxi roadworthy. But there was no way I could raise that money during the second wave. So I went back. I have to take care of my wife and kids and the taxi was my lone source of income.”
Krishnakant Pandey, who has been a taxi driver in the city since 1993, said, “I have been parking my taxi at the airport for so many years. How did it get auctioned? During this Covid-19 pandemic, even if I take a loan to buy a new taxi, how will I pay the EMIs? The business has come to a standstill.”
Looking for a driver’s job
Sandeep Kumar’s taxi is gone too. He says he missed the notice since he was not in the city. “With my taxi gone, I’m looking for a driver’s job. Earlier, I owned a car, now I’ll drive others’ cars.”
T2 bears a deserted look on May 26, 2020. File/Pradeep Dhivar
Sanjay Mali said his sister’s wedding was to be held in June 2020 but it had to be pushed to December. Mali could come back to Mumbai only last month. “I had taken a loan of Rs 1 lakh for the taxi and had paid off only Rs 50,000. Apart from the remaining money, I’ve to pay my daughter’s school fees. I don’t know what to do now.”
‘Unfair move’
It was unfair to auction the taxis, particularly when the drivers were forced to go to their villages just for survival, said Rakesh Mishra, general secretary of Bhartiya Taxi Chalak Sangh. “We are with the taxi drivers. We will file a petition in the court.”
‘Auction done legally’
Dr Lamba from MIAL said taxis were removed for security reasons. “For a year, 118 black and yellow taxis and 98 cool cab taxis were parked at the airport parking lot. After a notice, some people removed their taxis. Those who did not remove the taxis were then issued a final notice. Public notices were also issued in newspapers. The taxis that were not removed from there even after that [final notice] were auctioned.”
Dr Lamba said, “Keeping in mind the security of the airport, it is not advisable to park unknown taxis there. All legal procedures have been completed before the taxi auction.”
One of the notices issued by airport operator MIAL. Cabbies said since the notices reached their Mumbai addresses, there was no way they could have known about the auction
About the cabbies planning to move court, Dr Lamba said, “These people are going to court, it is their democratic right, we have not done any wrong.”
Krishnakant Pandey said they understand the concerns over security but the pandemic had left them with no choices. “After the lockdown was imposed, we could not park our taxis on roads fearing police action. Whatever we did was out of compulsion, but the auction has made our lives miserable.”
216
No. of cabbies who had been served notices
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