Pune: Cab drivers rake in the moolah during heavy rains

Pune: The incessant rainfall on Wednesday and Thursday provided cab drivers an opportunity to earn more money. Many people who got stuck in the rain wanted to reach their destinations quickly. However, higher fares made a hole in their pocket. Cab drivers refused to ply on certain routes, where citizens had to rely on PMPML buses and auto-rickshaws.

Many city areas such as Sinhagad Road, Dhayari, Kalyani Nagar and Deccan Gymkhana were flooded. Traffic in these areas came to a standstill. A large number of people from outside visit the city daily. Such people preferred to travel by a cab but many could not book one. The waiting period for a cab went up to 25 minutes. Many could not even book a cab. Auto men charged at least Rs 50 more while cab drivers took around Rs 100 more than usual fares from passengers.

Cab drivers cancel bookings

Many commuters said that cab drivers were not accepting the booking while those who accepted tried to cancel it. Since people wanted to reach their destinations early due to heavy rain, they offered to pay more, only then many cab drivers accepted their booking.

A woman commuter in the Sinhagad area said, “I live in the Sinhagad Road area and wanted to visit my relatives in Kothrud. I tried to book a cab from noon till 6 pm but I could not. Many cab drivers cancelled the booking.”

A commuter on Pune-Satara Road in Katraj said, “I booked a cab from Bharati Vidyapeeth to Bavdhan. I entered a detailed address of my destination. But a cab driver made a fuss initially. Then he refused to ply. Since I had to go, I offered him more money and he confirmed the booking. They loot passengers in such circumstances.”