No Exclusive Right for Permitted Taxi on Passengers at Railway Stations

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
Following autorickshaw drivers causing difficulty for a women passenger at Ernakulam South Railway Station who booked a Uber taxi, Southern Railway has come out with a clarification that no exclusive right is given for permitted taxi on passengers at Railway Stations.
Railway has given permit for Taxi(car) service at major stations including Thiruvananthapuram Central, Ernakulam Junction and Ernakulam Town. The Permit fee is collected for parking in Railway premises and does not give any exclusive right for them on carrying passengers.
If any permitted Taxi driver found to be causing difficulty to passengers,Passenger is free to contact station manager/Deputy station manager (commercial) at Railway stations. Railway will take strict action including cancellation of parking permit of such Taxis.
Whereas Autorickshaws are concerened even though Railway tried to introduce permit system at Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam Junction, Ernakulam Town and Aluva stations it was not possible due to opposition from various corners. There is no exclusive right for them too on carrying passengers from Railway premises even if they operating from prepaid counters. Passengers should contact local police / Government Railway Police in case of any difficulty to them from auto rickshaw drivers, a statement from the Southern Railway said .
On Wednesday, Auto drivers misbehaved with a women Uber passenger and tried to force her out of the cab which she hired at Ernakulam south railway station.
The driver of the Uber taxi was attacked by the auto rickshaw drivers after the woman entered the cab. After the driver was slapped and manhandled, the women recorded the ordeal in her mobile camera and posted it on Youtube. The video became viral with many expressing protest over the attack.
Vidya Gopalakrishnan, a fashion designer from Bengaluru said that there was hardly any liquid money left with me and I called the online cab. Apart from assaulting the driver, the auto drivers even s
houted at me.said She had filed a police complaint with the commissioner’s office.