Cab drivers voice grievances, seek revision of fare

Taxi aggregators Ola and Uber, cab drivers and traditional taxi service associations voiced their grievances to Transport Commissioner Naveen Raj Singh on Monday at a meeting conducted following directions from Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy.

Besides seeking a revision of cab fares and increased security measures, the taxi operators urged the officials to immediately stop Ola from attaching drivers with private driving licence (without a yellow badge) for its services. On June 5, Kumaraswamy had held a meeting with all the parties and officials and directed the latter to form a high-level
committee to look into the issues.

Sources said that city taxi operators and other cab drivers sought increased security measures for passengers travelling in cabs booked through aggregators. “It was pointed out that a driver accused of raping passenger is arrested and his vehicle is seized but the aggregator who provided the cab through the app goes unpunished,” the source said.

Want revision

The drivers said they wanted a revision of cab fares that were last fixed in March. “Dividing cabs into five categories has complicated a rather simple issue. Also, the huge gap between the minimum and maximum fares benefit aggregators while drivers and passengers suffer,” said Tanveer Pasha, the leader of a drivers' union, who took part in the meeting.

The source said the transport commissioner had assured the drivers of taking up the issue with the principal secretary of the Transport Department and other officials.