COIMBATORE: Members of the Coimbatore District Call Taxi Federation held a protest at Sivananda Colony in Tatabad on Tuesday, pressing the Tamil Nadu govt to launch a state-backed taxi booking app and rein in private aggregators.In the demonstration, call taxi drivers raised slogans and submitted a 12-point charter of demands. They demanded that the govt expedite the rollout of a “Tamil taxi” app promised as an election commitment by chief minister Vijay. They said all taxi unions and federations should be consulted before implementation.The protesters sought adequate parking facilities for taxis at public hubs including airports and railway stations.The federation demanded action against illegal private cabs and bike taxis, calling for a ban on such services. They alleged that the use of private vehicles for rental trips was affecting their livelihood and claimed passenger safety could be compromised in unregulated services. Bike taxis, if they are permitted, should be issued “T Board” registration plates, they said.Drivers further sought revision of tariff rates in line with fuel price changes.The protesters warned that if their demands are not met, they would surrender their documents to the govt and launch sustained, large-scale protests.
