UT bans web-based cabs

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 9

Acting on a directive of the Union Home Ministry, the Chandigarh Administration today banned all web-based cabs in the city. The UT has been categorically told to stop such service providers who are not licensed to operate in the city.

At present, three service providers — Ola Cabs, Uber and Meru — are running around 150 cabs within the city. While Ola Cabs has got a stay from the court regarding its operation, the others have earlier been issued a notice by the State Transport Authority (STA) to explain within seven days why they are running the service without permission. The Secretary, Transport, UT, Bhawana Garg, said the orders of the MHA were being implemented.

The orders have no bearing on the radio taxis being run by Mega Cabs, Fab Cabs and RBTZ under the 2006 Radio Taxi Scheme of the Chandigarh Administration. Yesterday, the STA had asked the operators of the licensed radio taxi service to furnish complete details of the drivers engaged by them and also a certification regarding their police verification.

What about illegal autos?

Following the Delhi rape incident, there is need for checking the antecedents of drivers of school buses and auto-rickshaws in the city. Around 200 school buses ply in the city, while there are 10,000 illegal diesel autos in operation. Checking by the STA in the past has revealed that the auto operators do not possess the requisite licence and permit. Police verification of the auto drivers has seldom been done.