Maxicabs to stay out of city

Maxicabs to stay out of city


Express News Service
First Published : 12 Nov 2008 03:43:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 12 Nov 2008 09:06:11 AM IST

BANGALORE: Transport Minister R Ashok said on Tuesday that maxicabs would be barred from entering Bangalore city limits.

“The government is firm on restricting maxicabs in order to avoid congestion and officials are working on fixing the boundary,” he said, adding that this restriction would be imposed in other cities too.

Acknowledging the maxicab as an important mode of transportation, the Minister said that the government would restrict their entry only after making alternative arrangements.

About restricting the movement of private vehicles on nationalised routes, the Minister said that the government had filed an affidavit stating that it would introduce 1,600 new buses to meet the requirement in the event of private buses being banned from these routes.

Defending his decision to allow KSR TC buses to ply in Mangalore district, Ashok said that the private transporters’ lobby had been opposing the move as it would hurt their interests.

“But people have welcomed it as we have given them a choice,” Ashok said.