Delhi government finds discrepancies in Uber's application for radio taxi licence

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Transport Department has asked Uber to resubmit its application for a radio taxi licence in Delhi after changing the company's status as a transport provider from a technology company. San Francisco-based Uber had last week applied for a radio taxi licence in New Delhi by forming a separate subsidiary in India.

"We have asked them to change the subsidiary's mode of operations to a transport provider. Only then can we accept the application under our laws," a senior transport department official told ET.

As per officials, Uber will have to change the memorandum of association (MoA) of the newly formed company and resubmit the application to Delhi government, if it wants to restart operations. It will delay the grant of a licence by few weeks, as Ministry of Coporate Affairs has to be informed about change in MoA of any private limited company.

"There have been some issues in applications of each of the new applicant. In one of the applications, the registered address mentioned is not correct. We have asked them to re-submit applications," said the senior official.

An Uber official said that the company was yet to receive any information from the government on the same. As per sources, Uber, Ola, TaxiForSure, NTL Call Taxi have applied for a radio taxi licence in Delhi under the modified scheme. The web-based taxi services were banned in the Indian Capital, last month, after rape of a finance professional by one of the registered drivers with Uber.

According to senior officials, as per current law, even if licence was granted the cabs will have to ply with a fixed meter. "A mobile phone is not accepted as a calibrated meter by the state transport authority (STA) under current rules," said a STA official.