UPSRTC to charge Rs 10,000 for taxi rides from Delhi airport to Noida, Ghaziabad

The Uttar Pradesh State Road Transport Corporation (UPSRTC) will facilitate these desirous to journey from India Gandhi International Airport to Noida and Ghaziabad — however at an exorbitantly heavy value. Be able to shell out as a lot as Rs10,000 for a taxi trip from the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) to any vacation spot inside a 250km radius.

While scores of individuals are stranded at completely different locations and struggling to succeed in house because of the outbreak of coronavirus illness (Covid-19), the minimal value of reserving a taxi of the UPSRTC shall be Rs 10,000 for sedans and Rs 12,000 for an SUV. Any further distance, past the 250km, will incur further prices. If your pockets don’t run so deep, the company’s buses will ply you, for at least Rs 1,000 per seat in non air-conditioned bus and for Rs 1,320 per seat in air-conditioned bus for a distance of as much as 100km.

UPSRTC managing director Raj Shekhar, on May 9, issued a letter to the company’s regional managers in Noida and Ghaziabad, informing them that they’ll facilitate the journey of residents — introduced again from overseas nations underneath the Vande Bharat Mission — from Delhi airport to Noida and Ghaziabad and different close by areas. “The corporation will provide buses and taxis at the airport. Those people who would be cleared by the Delhi government to travel and have no symptoms of Covid-19, can avail of this service,” the letter stated.

The letter provides that reserving a taxi for as much as 250 km from the airport would value Rs 10,000. “Each additional kilometre would cost Rs 40. Booking an SUV would cost Rs 12,000 for first 250km and Rs 50 for each additional kilometre,” it stated. Besides the motive force, solely two individuals can sit within the taxi,” it additional acknowledged.

A single seat in a non air-conditioned bus would value Rs 1,000 and a seat in an air-conditioned bus would value Rs 1,320 for 100km. The prices would double for any distance 101-200km. The buses will accommodate a most of 26 individuals, with the intention to preserve social distancing. At current, all folks introduced again from overseas nations are stored in 14-day quarantine in Delhi. Once they full the quarantine interval, the transport division would facilitate their journey to Noida, Ghaziabad and different cities.

AK Singh, regional supervisor, UPSRTC, Ghaziabad, stated he has obtained the letter. “At present, we engage our buses to ferry passengers from Delhi airport to different hotels and quarantine centres in Delhi. We have received the order from the headquarters to ferry returnees in buses and taxis. They will be transported as per the directions of the Delhi government and Ghaziabad administration,” he stated.

Singh didn’t touch upon the excessive fare construction, besides to say that it was determined by the headquarters. “We have received information that stranded people are sometimes fleeced by truck drivers and others promising lifts. Such commuting is also unsafe while the government initiative is safe,” he stated.

Anurag Yadav, assistant regional supervisor, UPSRTC, Noida, stated till now some UPSRTC buses have ferried migrant folks from Noida to different districts of Uttar Pradesh in addition to to different states, on the instructions of district administration.

“The services to transport migrant workers were free of cost. Now, we have received a letter from the headquarters to ply buses and taxis from the Delhi airport. We will take suitable measures once the administration gives us the nod,” he stated.

KK Jain, normal secretary, FONRWA, criticised the exorbitant fares and stated it’s going to additional burden travellers. “We used to commute from Noida to IGIA for Rs 800 before the lockdown. A fare of Rs 10,000 for a single trip to Noida or Ghaziabad is too much. The government should reconsider the fare structure to help people who are already troubled by the lockdown the coronavirus spread,” he stated.

Responding to the information report, Raj Shekhar, UPSRTC managing director, on Thursday stated {that a} three-member committee has been shaped to evaluation the order. “The officials of department of operation, technical and regional transport authority are members of this committee. They will look into the matter and submit recommendations in 24 hours. We may introduce some changes in the fare structure,” he stated.

Shekhar stated that the Corporation had issued a letter for chartered charges for 250-km radius commuting. “This was not limited to Noida and Ghaziabad from Delhi airport. People can book the taxi from the airport for whole day and travel to different district like Bareilly, Moradabad, Meerut, etc. The taxi drivers will come with empty vehicles and they can’t book or lift commuters on return. The commuters need not to share the ride with others, unlike the other taxi services,” he stated.

Shekhar stated that at current the folks introduced from overseas are quarantined in Delhi. “We have engaged some buses to ferry them from Airport to the hotels. We have not charged them any money till now,” he stated. The Corporation is but to begin this chartered bus and taxi service from the Airport.

Shekhar added that UPSRTC is reviewing its order specifically pertaining to Noida, Ghaziabad commuting from Delhi. UPSRTC runs over 10,000 buses whereas it has a couple of taxis in every district.