Delhi taxi operators to protest at Jantar Mantar on February 28 over fares, e-challans

The Delhi Taxi and Tourist Transport Association on Monday flagged issues ranging from alleged regulatory gaps to rising compliance costs, and announced a peaceful protest at Jantar Mantar on February 28.

According to a statement released by the association, they are seeking government intervention to address what they call long-pending problems of the transport sector.

Association President Sanjay Samrat said, transporters and drivers across Delhi and its neighbouring states -- Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan and Punjab -- were facing increasing difficulties due to policy and enforcement-related issues.


Among the key concerns raised was the operation of bike taxis with private number plates in the Delhi-NCR region, which, according to the association, posed safety risks to passengers and affected the livelihoods of auto and taxi drivers.

It also sought regulation of fares charged by app-based taxi aggregators, alleging that commissions had increased while fares remained largely unchanged, impacting the earnings of drivers and safety.

The association further pointed to problems with the mandatory panic button system, claiming that devices often failed to function despite fines being imposed on the vehicle owners.

It also opposed the retrospective enforcement of the AIS-153 bus body code, arguing that it placed an additional financial burden on operators.

In India, the AIS-153 is a mandatory, revised bus body code focusing on enhanced safety, fire prevention, and structural integrity, effective from September 1 last year.

Other issues highlighted include the installation of speed limit devices without accounting for road conditions, pressure on commercial operators to shift to electric vehicles despite infrastructure constraints, and a central rule requiring vehicles to return to their registered state within 60 days.

The association also alleged "harassment through the e-challan system", frequent penalties on luggage carriers in Rajasthan, changes in tax collection practices in Uttar Pradesh, and restrictions on outstation vehicles during the "Char Dham Yatra" in Uttarakhand.

Samrat said the protest would be held to draw the attention of the prime minister and chief ministers concerned, urging them to address what he described as systemic challenges facing the transport sector.