With few passengers even in lockdown 5.0, cab drivers explore other ways to make ends meet

While taxis and auto rickshaws are permitted to ply, drivers say that they are solely dependent on people going to airports and hospitals.
Ola Cabs. (Photo| PTI)
Ola Cabs. (Photo| PTI)

CHENNAI: Though the government has relaxed the lockdown further from Monday, normal services are unlikely to resume any time soon for those in many professions. While taxis and auto rickshaws are permitted to ply, drivers say that they are solely dependent on people going to airports and hospitals.

S Dhanapaul from Korukkupet, who drives a cab for an online ridesharing company, is one of the many drivers who had to look for another job during the lockdown. "After many people driving trucks and minivans left to their hometowns, there was a need to deliver goods to stores and carry loads from vegetable and fish markets. So I borrowed a minivan from my friend who had gone home and delivered goods to grocery stores from godowns. It was just enough to make a living for 40 days," he said.

He added that he does not see a clear profit in driving cabs again since offices, entertainment spaces and malls are closed.

Like him, many auto rickshaw and taxi drivers have turned to other options including driving water tanker lorries, delivering water cans and ferrying goods from fish and vegetable markets. They have not re-entered the cab business and are waiting for complete normalcy to return.

But many drivers who were unable to take up other jobs are hit the hardest. “We had borrowed money from many people to survive, promising to return it in a while. But we got few rides unlike previous summer vacations. We have made a demand to the government through our unions to provide monetary benefits," said A Gokulabalan from Ambattur.

While many small scale and telecommunications industries have asked a section of the staff to work from the office, some have provided cabs as usual for pickup and drop while others focused on employees with their own vehicles.

Employees, especially people from other districts living alone, don’t have many options for food around their offices. "Earlier we used to have many restaurants around and could choose accordingly. Now, all the restaurants near us are closed and there is only one push cart with food. Even for a tea break, we either walk far to a seller on a cycle or just have a walk around the building," says T Sabapathi from K K Nagar who works in a private telecommunications office in Mandaveli.

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The New Indian Express
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