Cabbies protest, say caught in crossfire between govt, firms

Scores of drivers working with app-based taxi services, including Uber, on Monday staged a protest at Jantar Mantar, as police and government agencies have prosecuted and impounded hundreds of cabs in a recent crackdown to implement a ban on their services.

Delhi Police has impounded nearly 600 cabs belonging to banned app-based taxi services in the past few days after the Delhi government rejected their licence applications from the companies, as they failed to comply with the laid-down conditions. The drivers claimed they had been caught in the crossfire between the companies and the authorities.

“Many of us had taken loans to buy these cars to be able to run them as cabs with these companies. Our cars have been impounded for no fault of ours. We are facing severe cash crunch and I don't have money to get my children admitted to school,” said Alok Kumar (33), an Uber cab driver whose taxi was seized by police.

To beat these taxi services in their own game, Delhi Traffic Police has asked its officials to download their apps and book cabs so as to challan and impound the cars when they arrive.

"The offending vehicles are impounded and a letter is being written to Transport Department to cancel the permit of the vehicles. Liability of the company (Uber, Ola or TaxiForSure) will also be fixed under sections 93(1), 193 and 199 MV Act. Kalandara (report) will be made and sent to court against the company apart from challaning the driver," said Special Commissioner (Traffic) Muktesh Chander.

Traffic Police is also requesting the Transport Department to initiate action under Section 188 of IPC against company executives for not obeying government directions.

The Transport Department of Delhi had banned Uber, Ola and TaxiForSure from operating their services on December 8, 2014, following the rape of a financial consultant allegedly by a cab driver working in partnership with Uber.

The government has also issued directions for blocking the website and mobile apps of these services. But these taxi services continue to operate in Delhi.