Cabs fleece as cancellation charges skyrocket

With the demand for call taxis surging, the private taxi operator even charged heavily, when trips were cancelled by members of the public due to delayed service.  

Sources said that the cabs made a quick buck by raising their rates exorbitantly. Usually, whenever clients cancel the trips, they would be charged between Rs 25 to 40. However, things took an ugly turn on Monday, as the cab services hiked the cancellation fee between Rs 250 to 300, without picking up the passengers. 

“Since it was heavy rain in the morning, I booked a cab and when I contacted the driver, he did not pick up my call. So, I cancelled the cab, to rebook. Shockingly, I received a message from the concerned company that Rs 250 will be deducted,” said K T Prakash, a techie from Iyyappanthangal. Similarly, autorickshaw drivers too took advantage of the rains. “The minimum charge is between Rs 30 and Rs 40. But, the driver demanded Rs 60 for a one-km ride,” said V Senthil, a private firm employee. 

On the other hand, all the arterial roads were under thick sheet of rainwater and traffic in many areas like Ambattur, Koyambedu and several parts of north and south Chennai. Vehicles were seen piling up and splashing the stagnated water. The MTC commuters were seen waiting in the shelters for hours to catch the buses. However, MTC officials clarified that they were trying their best to keep up timings despite the water stagnation.