The Government of India on Thursday dismissed applications for approving licenses of cab services like Uber, Ola Cabs and TaxiForSure in Delhi.
According to an Indian Express report, under the Radio Taxi scheme 2006 and its modified rules submitted on January 22, 2015, Uber, Ola and TaxiForSure have been denied licenses.
The government sent letters to these companies saying, “As your company has failed to submit a sworn affidavit declaring therein that the company is complying with the ban imposed on it in letter and spirit in pursuance of the letter dated March 24,2015, the application for the licence has been rejected.”
Transport Minister Gopal Rai has also accused these companies of not abiding by the ban imposed by the state government.
In March, 2015, Ministry of Communication and IT had sent a notice to these cab service companies for shutting down their websites.
An order issued on May 12, 2015 also stated, “All the internet service licenses are accordingly immediately block [sic] the access of the websites. The compliance be submitted immediately, failing which the department may initiate action under rule 12 of the IT Act.”
Delhi’s reaction
“Well… I haven’t travelled in any of the cabs alone so far but in a recent emergency had to travel by [that too] while being accompanied with all male friends,” said Pari Saikia, a journalist by profession.
When asked whether she would prefer travelling alone by an Ola or Uber cab, she said, “Don’t think so.”
ScoopWhoop also talked to Anwesha Brahma, a PR professional and who has used these cab services often in the recent past, about the government’s decision of rejecting the licenses.
“I frankly feel if such incidents happen then of course their licenses should be cancelled, safety is more important, ” Brahma said.
On being asked if she would ever travel alone by a cab, she said, “N o… I seriously would never avail any service from Ola or Uber.”