Licence application of taxi aggregator Uber in limbo

The licence application of the online taxi aggregator, Uber, is still in  limbo as it failed to produce cabs fitted with panic buttons and GPS for physical verification, for the second time.

Bengaluru Central RTO (Koramangala) has submitted a report to the Transport department in May stating that the 100 cabs produced by  Uber for verification did not have panic buttons and GPS. The department had given a second chance to the aggregator to rectify errors and produce vehicles before the RTO (Electronics City) for verification.

Ruchica Tomar, spokesperson for Uber, told Deccan Herald: “We are waiting for clarity on the Karnataka On-demand Transportation Technology Aggregators Rules - 2016 from the High Court as we had challenged the new rule in the court before producing the cabs for physical verification.”

As per the new rule, the aggregators must obtain licence to operate their service in the state.

To get the licence, the aggregator must produce at least a 100 cabs with panic buttons and GPS installed in them. Only those cabs that follow the rules are allowed to ferry passengers.

Uber claims that it has a panic button in its app and also an option to track its vehicles. But the RTO officials are not ready to accept the alternative option to clear physical verification. They are insisting that Uber instal panic buttons and GPS.

Transport Commissioner Ramegowda said that the licence issuing process was delayed as Uber did not come forward to comply with the rules. The department will expedite the process if Uber follows the new rules, he added.