Popular ride-hailing companies Ola and Uber might encounter obstacles if they continue offering bike taxi services in the capital.
The Delhi government has issued a warning, stating that if these companies fail to comply with the court’s ban on bike taxis, their vehicles will be seized.
The Supreme Court recently upheld the ban on bike taxis imposed by the Delhi government, leaving Uber shocked.
Uber had appealed to the court to allow them to continue providing the service.
During the court proceedings, the Delhi government argued that bike taxis violate city regulations since they lack the necessary licenses.
Uber countered, emphasizing that the ban would negatively impact the livelihoods of their riders.
Ashish Kundra, the principal secretary and transport commissioner for the Delhi government, conveyed to Reuters that these companies should prioritize passenger safety over pursuing profits.
He further added, “We will issue an advisory to these companies, urging them to adhere to the court’s order.
If they fail to do so, we will begin impounding their vehicles.”
Uber and Ola have not responded to requests for comment. Nonetheless, both companies continued offering bike taxi services through their apps as of Tuesday.
The Supreme Court had temporarily suspended the High Court’s order, which had permitted bike taxi operators to continue their services until a new policy is formulated.
The High Court had directed the Delhi government not to take any action against these companies until the new policy is in place.
The vacation bench comprising Justices Aniruddha Bose and Rajesh Bindal stayed the High Court’s May 26 order.
Additionally, the Delhi government’s lawyer notified the court that the final policy would be announced before the end of July.
Two separate petitions challenging the May 26 order of the Delhi government, led by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), were being heard in the Supreme Court.
Last week, the court sought a response from the central government regarding this matter.
The Delhi government had approved the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Scheme last month to regulate cab aggregators and delivery service providers in the capital.
