App-based autos: HC gives govt more time for consensus

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Monday gave the gover nment four more weeks to come to a consensus on an issue related to app-based autorickshawhailing service. The government sought more time by citing that the earlier meetings with stakeholders have been inconclusive and more meetings have been scheduled for November 14 and 15.

In the meantime, the court directed, the authorities should file their objections to the interim relief sought by aggregators seeking enhancement of rates. The Bharat Motor Transport Drivers Association also sought to implead in the case.

The government was directed to file its objections to this application as well, and adjourned the case to November 16. The authorities recently ordered aggregators to stop their online services by saying they were not covered under the Karnataka OnDemand Transportation Technology Aggregator Rules in 2016. The Transport Department had claimed many of them were charging extra fares.

As per various media sources, it was found that Ola, Rapido, and Uber charged Rs 100 for distances as short as 2 km. As per the rules laid down by the state government, autorickshaws in Bengaluru are permitted to charge a sum of Rs 30 for a base distance of 2 km and Rs 15 for an even shorter distance.

ANI Technologies Private Limited, which operates Ola, and Uber India Systems Private Limited have challenged this before the court. The drivers association claimed there were 16 such organisations in the city and they were stakeholders and need to be party in the case.

On October 14, the High Court permitted ride hailing firms to collect 10 per cent on base fare alongside additional goods and services tax (GST) of 5 per cent as a short-term measure. The court had asked the state government to come up with a fee structure for autorickshaws run by ride hailing firms.

Nitish Bhushan, Head of Central Operations for Uber India and South Asia had shared in a blog that the current commission cap is not financially viable.