Since the launch of the new East-West Metro line connecting Howrah Maidan to Esplanade, taxi drivers at Howrah station are feeling the pinch.
Particularly hit hard are app-cab drivers, who report a significant drop in customers heading both long distances and to the central business district from the station.
As per TOI, “Since the crucial East-West Metro section started running, our business has taken a big hit. This affects not only the Metro route but also the North-South line due to their connection at Esplanade. Passengers who used to pay Rs 250 from Howrah to Esplanade can now travel the same distance for just Rs 10. Our fares have dropped from Rs 250 to Rs 120,” lamented Pradeep Sain, an Ola driver at Howrah station.
Ravi Singh, managing the parking lot at Howrah station, noted the stark change, saying, “Before the Metro line, cabs didn’t linger here. Now they idle all day. Plus, drivers still have to pay the Rs 71 hourly parking fee.”
Vivek Jaiswal, a cab driver, shared his plight, “I used to earn Rs 2,000 daily. Now, it’s sometimes down to Rs 800, and some days, I get no passengers.”
Rates have dropped by Rs 100 on average. Amit Das, another cabby, stated, “During off-peak hours, we used to charge Rs 400 to Gariahat. Now it’s down to Rs 300.”
Purushottam Kalra, from an app-cab company, acknowledged the drop in fares but lamented the lack of returning passengers. “We rely on families with lots of luggage now. Those with less luggage prefer the Metro.”
Indranil Banerjee, from the App Cab Operators’ Guild, expressed hope that aggregators like Ola and Uber would introduce incentives for rides between Howrah and Kolkata to boost demand. “We might not get back the commuters switching between trains and cabs, but we need to win over the local Howrah passengers again,” he concluded.
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