DOHA - Nothing had changed in the city's crowded National area yesterday. Several orange and white cabs were seen moving around with single workers, mostly Nepalese and Bangladeshis, thronging the spot for their famous weekend gatherings.
There certainly were a lesser number of cabs visible, but the drivers did not seem to bother that this was perhaps their last weekend of 'freedom' before they have to be off the roads by November 8.
The Public Transport Company (Mowasalat) has asked all taxi owners to surrender the permits (and the plates) to the company by that date. Mowasalat has also warned that the cabs which do not abide by this directive will be heavily fined and forcefully taken off the roads.
The National area is perhaps the only spot in the city where one could find quite a good number of these old cabs, even after Mowasalat introduced its plush Karwa taxis and public bus service.
The older cabs ran a virtual shuttle service between Doha and its outskirts, especially the Industrial Area and had become a part and parcel of the city's weekend life for many years.
Though they lost part of their business to the city buses, these taxis remained the preferred mode of transport for many low-income workers.
A Bangladeshi cabbie whom The Peninsula met at the area yesterday said he was aware of the November 8 deadline. "My sponsor may surrender the permit tomorrow or the day after. I will get the car repainted, sell it and look for another job," he said. He has been in Doha for the past two decades, driving a cab for the past five.
For Santosh Kumar Barwa, another veteran, making a living with the orange and whites for the past 22 years, this is time to retire. "I will sell the car and go home," he said.
"I am not worried since I have found another job," said another Bangladeshi, who wished not to be named.
Many workers, thronging the area now will have to make do with the Mowasalat buses, which are far cheaper than the taxis.
Sanjeev Kumar, a Nepalese worker from the Industrial Area, said he was not at all worried about the final phasing out of the old cabs. "For us, these cabs are also expensive since they are not charging according to what is shown on the meter. They take four or five passengers in a trip and charge QR4 or QR5 from each of them," he said.
Asked what he would do after the service is stopped he said: "I will come here by bus. But the problem is that the buses are too crowded on weekends. We hope Mowasalat will introduce more buses from the Industrial Area," he said.
Akhtar, who came to Doha only eight months ago, said he was also pinning his hopes on the city buses. "I will not go by a Karwa taxi, because it is not affordable for people like us," he said.
But transport or no transport, both have been frequenting the area every weekend to meet friends and share news and discuss developments back home.
© The Peninsula 2006
