Stop targeting us, cab owners to dept

Furious over Transport department’s decision to slap them with hefty fine, drivers attached to taxi aggregators Ola and Uber staged a protest against the ongoing enforcement drive by the department at Freedom Park on Friday.

The agitating drivers urged the officials to stop targeting them. On April 2, the government introduced new rule, Karnataka On-Demand Transportation Technology Aggregators Rule-2016. But the taxi aggregators - Ola and Uber - did not bother to get the requisite license to operate the service. As a result the department started to penalise the cab owners for violation of permit condition.

Transport department officials say aggregators should obtain licence under the new rule to continue the service. Also, the cab owners should get a city permit to attach their vehicle to the aggregators. When the aggregators did not heed to the notices, the department intensified the drive to seize the vehicles, the officials added.

Meanwhile, the cab owners have blamed the department for its inability to act against the aggregators. “If the department is really committed to enforce the new rule, it should act tough against the aggregators. How are we connected with the new rule? Don't target the poor drivers,” Girish, an agitating cab owner said.

Former chief minister H D Kumaraswamy, who visited the protest site, has assured the agitating drivers that he would hold talks with the authorities concerned and would strive to solve the problem in three days.

4 private buses seized
Four private buses were seized by the RTO officials on Friday for ferrying commercial goods in dangerous manner. The vehicles were seized on Hosur road.