Rape by Uber cabbie puts spotlight on poor implementation of norms

NEW DELHI: The rape of a woman executive allegedly by a cab driver has brought to the spotlight the laxity in enforcement of established norms governing the transport sector.

In the recent incident, the accused cab driver did not have the required Public Service Vehicle (PSV) Badge, which is mandatory to ply a public transport vehicle in Delhi.

"He did not have the mandatory PSV badge that is issued by the state transport authority after getting a police verification. Uber did not bother to check that and hired him," said a police officer.

The 32-year-old cabbie had earlier spent seven months behind the bars in a rape case, for which he was later acquitted.

"The driver was acquitted but it that was due to lack of evidence. But reports say that he was accused in an identical case. How was someone like him ferrying passengers," women rights activist Kavita Krishnan said.

She claimed that at least half a dozen companies like Uber are functioning circumventing the existing regulations governing the transport sector.

"The government needs to answer how at least six companies like Uber are operating circumventing the Motor Vehicles Act. They are clearly dodging all regulatory frameworks," she added.

The Delhi government today banned all operations by Uber with immediate effect and blacklisted it from providing any transport service in the national capital.