Cab owners plan protest against government over penalty drive

Cab owners, who have attached their vehicles to online taxi aggregators, are planning a protest against the government as the Transport department has launched a drive to penalise them citing violation of permit conditions.

Under the new Karnataka On-Demand Transportation Technology Aggregators Rule 2016, taxi aggregators have to obtain licence to operate their services. Though the rule came into force on April 2, the aggregators have not obtained the licence.

As a result, the Transport department has started penalising the cab owners from mid-April. In two months, not less than 800 cabs were seized by the department. According to the officials, the cab owners have to get the city permit to attach their vehicles to the aggregators. But they are operating with their state and national permits. In some places, ola cab drivers made the passengers get down saying they have to join the protest.

President of Jai Bharatha Vehicle Owners and Drivers Association, Pradeep N, told Deccan Herald that the cab owners and drivers were planning to stage a protest next week. “If the aggregators have not obtained licence, then the department should take action against them. Why are they targeting the cab owners,” he questioned.