2 more operators seek taxi aggregator licence

Welink and Shreyas approach State Transport Authority

Even as two major online taxi aggregators – Ola and Uber - are in the race to obtain licence under the new rule to operate their services in Karnataka, two more operators have applied for the licence. With this, a total of five operators, including TaxiForSure, are in the race.

The State Transport Authority (STA) has received applications in the name of ‘Welink’ and ‘Shreyas’. The STA had written to the Regional Transport Office (RTO) seeking a physical verification report on the information provided in the applications.

As per the Karnataka On-Demand Transportation Technology Aggregators Rule, 2016, an applicant should have a fleet of at least 100 cabs - either owned or rented - to apply for licence. Each vehicle should be fitted with a panic button for the use of passenger in case of emergency, installed with digital meter and GPS for tracking movement of vehicles.

The STA, a week ago, had asked the KR Puram RTO for physical verification of information provided in the licence application of 'Welink’ as the applicant comes under the jurisdiction of KR Puram RTO. The Rajajinagar RTO was asked to submit a similar report about ‘Shreyas.’

A source said that these two applicants have furnished details pertaining to their cabs, permits and security deposit among others.

H G Kumar, Additional Commissioner for Transport and Secretary to STA, said the applicants are city-based cab service providers and they have never turned up after submitting the applications.

Though the new rule came into force on April 2, none of the aggregators has been able to secure the licence till now. The Transport department had launched a crackdown against aggregators for enforcing the rule. But, the department suspended its drive after the operators applied for the licence.