DCW issues notice to app-based taxi services in Delhi

The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Friday issued notice to five app-based taxi services including Ola and Uber seeking to know the number of taxis, which operate under their banner in the national capital and number of drivers whose details have not been duly verified.

The commission has taken suo-motu cognisance of the threat to women's safety posed by unregulated taxi aggregators in Delhi, has also sought to know the extent of compliance by these taxi operators of the prevalent rules and regulations imposed by the Delhi government.

DCW has also sought details of the drivers who possess the public service vehicle badge issued by the Transport Deptartment.

"Of the drivers operating under the banner of your company, how many drivers have licenses from outside the state? Please provide state-wise details of the same," the notice issued by DCW Chairperson Swati Maliwal said.

"What is the protocol followed by you to connect to the police in case a distress call is received? Please provide us copies of all standard operating procedures followed by you for the same, data on response time and a brief summary of all cases in 2015 that have required police intervention," it said.

The recent case of molestation of a Belgian national by an Ola cab driver on May 7 and case of the rape of a 26-year-old women by a Uber cab driver, which has also resulted in conviction of the driver has highlighted the looming threat on women safety at the hands of unregulated taxi aggregators in the capital, Maliwal said.

She said according to the prevalent rules and regulations imposed by the Delhi government, the conditions that need to be satisfied by all taxi aggregators for taxis/cars operating under their banner include that the taxi shall be fitted with GPS and GPRS based tracking device, printer and a display panel showing the path traversed and total distance covered.

The GPS and GPRS-based tracking device shall be in constant communication with the central control room of the transport department.

"Details containing the photograph of the driver, licence number, PSV badge number, and registration mark of the vehicle etc, shall be displayed prominently inside the taxi, so that the same is directly visible to the passenger."

"The licencee shall ensure the facility of a panic button in the taxi so that in case of any distress, the signal is transmitted to the control centre of the licensee and therefrom to the nearest police control room, as also a hooter alarm to raise in case of mishap", the notice said.

"The licencee shall develop and include a feature in its mobile application that provides the rider the facility to contact the local police in case of an emergency."

"The driver shall be of good moral character without any criminal record. Any person who has been convicted within the past seven years of certain specified offences including sexual offences must not be engaged by licensee," the notice added.

The Commission directed the companies to provide the above information within seven days, failing which appropriate action under law will be initiated.