110 cabs seized for plying without licence in Bengaluru

BENGALURU: At least 110 cabs, including the ones operated by app based aggregators Ola and Uber, were seized by transport authorities in Bengaluru on Thursday.

In an intensive drive near Yeshwanthpur, Hebbal, Nagawara and Mekhri circle, the transport department said it found taxis and cabs operated by the likes of Ola and Uber plying in violation of rules. “These aggregators have not obtained licences to operate, a gross violation of the Karnataka on-demand Transportation Technology Aggregators Rules 2016,“ the department said in a release.

“These companies are misleading innocent drivers and owners of cabs to carry passengers without following rules and violating permit conditions,“ it said.

Ride-hailing operators Ola and Uber have applied to the transport department for the grant of licence to do business as aggregators in re sponse to the April 2 policy notified by Karnataka. The policy, among other things, requires cab aggregators to comply with the notified fare structure and not demand “surge pricing“. Although eight firms are doing business as app-based ride-hailing services under the radio taxi scheme licence, only Ola and Uber have come forward requesting for licence under the new rules, ET had reported on April 21.