After Uber ban, Mumbai Police to seek records of drivers from radio taxi services

Alarmed by the Uber incident in Delhi, Mumbai police chief Rakesh Maria has asked the crime branch to collect all possible details of cab service providers and drivers contracted by them. The police plan to use the information to cut down attacks on women.

"Thed big question that had arisen in Delhi case is that whether Uber had done a background check of the drivers working with them. We would want to prevent such incidents in Mumbai where thousands of such call-a-cabs would be on streets," said a police officer.

The crime branch would soon communicate with radio taxi operators in the city and ask them to submit details of all the drivers working for them. The cops would seek specific details like name of the driver, his photograph, contact details and residential address.

"Women safety has always been on top priority for the Mumbai police and it is taken very seriously by the force. After the Delhi incident, we will maintain the records of of drivers employed with all the radio taxi companies in the city," said Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime) KMM Prasanna. He added, "We will soon be communicating with the companies to provide us with the details and they will be documented by us."

After taking charge as police commissioner in February, Maria had stressed on making Mumbai safe for woman. As per his initiative, the Mumbai police started taking down details of taxi drivers who were plying women passengers traveling alone late night from various railway station across the city.