Forest department writes to RTO, police as unlicensed cabs with no fitness certificates continue to endanger tourists
Illegal taxis at the entrance of Sanjay Gandhi National Park in Borivli on September 3, 2024. FILE PIC
Following a mid-day report on illegal taxis ferrying visitors inside Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP), the park administration has written to the Regional Transport Office (RTO) and the local police station, urging strict action against vehicles operating without permits, fitness certificates, or safety clearances. Officials warned that such vehicles pose a serious threat to the lives of tourists.
An SGNP forest department official said, “We have requested the RTO and police to initiate strict action against illegal taxi operators who are endangering the lives of visitors by ferrying them in uncertified vehicles inside SGNP. To our knowledge, none of these vehicles have valid documents or fitness certificates. The owners must be booked.”
The vehicle that went up in flames on September 5 at SGNP. PIC/BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
Adding to the pressure, the association of SGNP guides has also written to the Kasturba Marg police station, flagging how locals with alleged criminal backgrounds, residing in encroachments inside the park, are illegally ferrying tourists in unlicensed vehicles without training or authorisation.
On September 8, mid-day had reported that unregulated private cars continue to ply within SGNP despite repeated warnings. Just last Friday, a CNG vehicle used for such trips caught fire — fortunately, no passengers were inside. Regular visitors and environmentalists have long demanded action against this menace.
In September 2024, mid-day had revealed that more than 30 makeshift taxis, owned by residents of hamlets within SGNP, were still running despite a complete ban on private four-wheelers. These vehicles, often speeding, transport tourists from the main gate to Kanheri caves, raising concerns among conservationists. Notably, the Bombay High Court, in a May 7, 1997 order (W\.P. No. 305/1995), had explicitly prohibited taxis and autorickshaws from entering SGNP to protect its fragile ecosystem.
Tourists have also complained of harassment by these operators, who charge Rs 50 to Rs 60 per person for a one-way trip to Kanheri caves. Despite a ban on private vehicles since the pandemic, sources allege that an influential local politician has been shielding these operators, as they form part of his core vote bank.
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