The people of Kolkata are likely to get a respite from paying staggering fares while travelling in online app cabs as the Bengal Taxi Union is gearing up to launch app-based services on Poila Boishakh, the Bengali New Year, at the existing base fare.

The Bengal Taxi Association has received permission from the state transport department to launch the online app-based cab service.

According to Bimal Kumar Guha, general secretary of the association, the taxi union has taken the decision after receiving complaints from various corners of the city about drivers charging exorbitant amounts from the passengers and refusing to take fares according to the meter.

“Considering a large number of complaints against the taxi drivers, we have decided to launch our own online app cab services among yellow as well as white and blue ‘nonrefusal’ taxis,” informed Mr Guha.

“However, unlike the existing app cab providers, we will not charge exaggerated surcharges and our fares will remain unchanged,” he added.

As the yellow taxis were toiling hard for their survival after the launch of the app-based cabs in the city, the initiative is expected to be a game changer in the industry, offering the same services at much cheaper rates.

According to the general secretary, even the transport department officials have appreciated the move.

In a bid to revive the relevance of taxis once more, the association is considering plans to provide facilities to the best of its ability. For this, the taxi union is emphasising on introducing air conditioned vehicles in larger numbers. Around three hundred such vehicles are already in the pipeline while more will be brought in soon. For providing more choice to the passengers, options of AC and non-AC cars will also be provided. While the yellow taxis will be available as non-AC, the white and blue Ambassadors will serve as AC vehicles. For availing the AC vehicles, the commuters will have to pay 25 per cent extra fare. Initially the services will be launched in 5000 taxis.

At a time when the commuters in the city are complaining about the high fares charged by the existing online app cabs, the same service offered by the state taxi association will carry a nominal surcharge of Rs 10 for every ride irrespective of the distance.

Meters will be taken off from the taxis and fares will appear in the app with the current base fare which is Rs 30. Commuters will be able to book the cabs both from the app and by calling up the call centre, while payment can be done both digitally and in cash.

According to the CEO of the IT company that has developed the app for the taxi association, the artificial intelligence technology will be used to track the history of the commuters and the drivers.

Like the two app cabs presently dominating the industry, door-to-door pick up and drop services will be provided on 24X7 basis while penalty amount will also be charged in case of cancellation by the commuters.

The app will also include, route-sharing options, vehicle tracking system and panic button which will be routed to phone number 100, connecting to the police.