New Delhi : With the pressure increasing on the state government to provide alternate transportation to the public with the Odd-Even scheme underway, around 50 cabs including those from Ola and Uber have been impounded in the last 12 hours by the Delhi Transport Department of charging more than the prescribed limit.
Around 18 Ola and Uber cabs were impounded yesterday after Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal assured strict action, including impounding of cabs, if the app-based taxis were found charging more than the prescribed rates.
He reiterated his stand that his government would not tolerate ‘overcharging and blackmailing’ by the taxi aggregators.
“Overcharging, diesel cars, drivers without license/badges n blackmailing by taxi aggregators won’t be allwed,” Kejriwal tweeted.
However, he added that the state government was not against taxi aggregators and fully supported them as they provided an importance service to the people but asserted that they had to follow the law and could not be exempted.
“Some taxis saying they’ll not provide cab if they’re not allowed to loot. This is open blackmailing n govt won’t let that happen,” he further tweeted.
Transport Minister Gopal Rai had earlier told ANI that apart from impounding taxis, they would also seize the licences of the taxi drivers and cancel their permits.
Under the Odd-Even scheme, aimed at battling pollution, diesel and petrol driven private vehicles with odd registration numbers can ply only on odd dates and those with even registration numbers on even dates.
The passengers complained that taxis were over-charging taking advantage of the scheme.
Meanwhile, amid the crackdown by the state government Ola has announced that Ola Shuttle will offer ‘free rides’ to commuters in Delhi-NCR on two Fridays — April 22 and April 29 — during the second phase of the Odd-Even initiative. (ANI)