Yesterday, this paper carried a front page report on how taxis in the city would in all likelihood have to sport a sign saying ‘For Hire’ or ‘Off Duty’ by next month. This is to enable passengers to know whether the cab is ready to pick up passengers or unavailable to ply.

Authorities have stated that this rule is most likely to be implemented by June. If it does, it comes not a day too soon, given the harrowing time commuters have during the monsoon, when it comes to getting cabs, for short or long distances. For a while now, commuters and cabbies have been engaged in a running battle, as commuters blame cabbies for refusing to ply on the pretext of a plethora of excuses.