T H M Kumar, the Karnataka Transport Commissioner, emphasised that Ola and Uber cannot offer autorickshaw services until the government can make a judgement.
The Karnataka government recently sent notifications to Ola, Uber, and Rapido ordering them to halt operating auto-rickshaw services immediately, calling them “illegal.” The State Transport Department had received multiple complaints about these businesses’ outrageous fees from customers. Ola and Uber continued to offer auto services on their apps despite the government order, as we previously reported.
With no other choice left, the Karnataka government issued a warning on Tuesday that it will penalise any vehicles discovered to be running illegally with Rs 5,000. T H M Kumar, the state’s transport commissioner, added that until the government makes a judgement, ride-hailing services like Ola and Uber cannot offer autorickshaw services.
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The Karnataka On-Demand Transportation Technology Aggregators Rule (KOTTAR), 2016, states that autorickshaws are not included, thus organisations that disobey the rule should be aware of this, according to the transport commissioner, who briefed reporters here. The department will write to the cyber division to request that the autorickshaw services be stopped, he said, because we are unable to do so ourselves because we lack the necessary skills. Only Ola-Uber will be targeted for action from us; autorickshaws will not be (taxi aggregators). The businesses will each receive a Rs 5,000 fine.
The transport commissioner emphasised that the cab aggregators’ KOTTAR-2016 applications do not provide any room for autorickshaw services.
The taxi aggregators will need to submit a new request to resume auto – rickshaw services, however the department has severely told them to halt booking rickshaws on their smartphone platforms until the government makes a decision.
Auto-rickshaw drivers protested outside the regional transport office (RTO) over the prohibition on their services enforced by ride-hailing platforms Ola, Uber, and Rapido after a few drivers connected to ride-hailing businesses were recently charged by the state transportation department. The aggregators had been requested by the Karnataka Transport Department to immediately cease providing “illegal auto-rickshaw services.” According to the report, the drivers were taking advantage of the people and were given 3 days to provide any information they may have in order to keep driving their auto-rickshaws.
