Auto drivers demand ban on Uber, Ola cabs

Hyderabad: With a demand for ban on the App based cab services Uber and Ola cabs, the Telangana Auto Drivers Unions Joint Action Committee (JAC) on Friday decided to observe bandh on April 13. The decision was unanimously approved by the Auto drivers unions in a meeting held on Thursday evening. The JAC alleged that Uber and Ola cabs were intentionally charging lesser amount as fares, affecting the revenues of auto drivers.

The JAC also demanded the Chief Minister to fulfill all the poll promises made by him for the welfare of Auto drivers during 2014 Assembly elections. He promised that Auto drivers will be issued D.Ls without the condition of class VIII. Further demands of JAC include replacement of the e-challans system with the spot challans, preventing seizure of Autos by Traffic police without a proper reason, setting up an Auto Drivers Welfare Board and so on.

Leaders of the JAC in a joint press statement alleged that the Uber and Ola cab services were conspiring to kick the Auto drivers out of business in order to achieve monopoly in the business in city. They demanded that the Transport Department clarify as to who have fixed the fares in respect of OLA Cabs at Rs 6 per km.

They also said, as per Section 67 of the Motor Vehicle Act, the Transport Department has to fix the fares in respect of Public Service Vehicles like autos and taxi cabs and see that the vehicles do not indulge in uneconomic competition. The JAC members alleged that Uber and Ola companies are running parallel government by fixing their fares illegally, in the absence of a monitoring mechanism. They demanded that the government ban the diesel-run Uber and Ola Cabs which are plying illegally on the city roads.