Airport taxi service launch: KRV targets City hotel

Airport taxi service launch: KRV targets City hotel
DH News Service, Bangalore:
Almost four hours after the launch of the Meru taxi services here on Wednesday, Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (KRV) activists turned their ire against Taj West End, the star hotel which hosted the launch function.


The KRV activists barged into the hotel at about 9.15 pm, tore posters and banners and broke a few tables and chairs. Although no one was arrested, the High Grounds police took up a case of unlawful entry. The activists were protesting against the decision to award the tender of taxi services at the new Bengaluru International Airport to non-Kannadigas.

In February 2008, V-Link Taxis that owns “Meru” had bagged the contract to deploy its taxi services at BIA. Once inside the hotel, the KRV activists shouted slogans against BIA and the taxi service provider.

Vedike president T A Narayana Gowda said more than 800 taxi drivers who have been operating services out of the HAL airport for many years are at the risk of going jobless.

“The BIA has awarded tenders to non-Kannadigas. People from outside are benefiting at the cost of locals. What will happen to local drivers, if tenders to run taxi services are awarded to other states. BIA says that only 100 will be allowed to operate from Devenahalli. What about the others. Who will feed their families. Many of them have availed loans to purchase vehicles,” Mr Gowda said.

It may be recalled that BIA had awarded tenders to private taxi operators to offer services. KSTDC and Bangalore Airport and Taxi Drivers Union were left out as they had not fulfilled criteria such as GPS informed BIA sources.

AC RADIO TAXIS LAUNCHED

Bangalore, dhns: After bagging the contract to deploy its taxi services at the new Bengaluru International Airport, V-Link Taxis today announced that its fleet of 500 “Meru” air-conditioned, metered radio taxis will be ready by the month-end. Four hundred of these olive-green Renault Logan cars will be dedicated for airport passenger services.

Launching the service, V-Link Managing Director Neeraj Gupta said, “Our radio taxi service provides customers the opportunity to commute in a modern, air-conditioned taxi, enabled by GPS-based dispatch technology. ”
The cabs will be priced at Rs. 15 per kilometre, and the payment will be from point to point. Customers can avail of multiple options to get the Meru cab service: by calling 44224422, sending an SMS to 57575 or sending a web request at www.merucabs.com.