The Delhi authorities told Uber and Ola to stop operating if they want their licence applications to be processed. Now, the city believes blocking the apps is the only way to enforce the ban, a Delhi government official said, declining to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media.
The Delhi government on Wednesday requested the Centre to block web-based apps of taxi operators Uber, Ola Cabs and Taxi For Sure alleging that these companies are not complying with a ban order imposed by it.
In a letter to Department of Electronic & Information Technology (Deity), Transport Secretary and Commissioner Gitanjali Gupta said that despite the ban, Uber, Ola Cabs and Taxi For Sure continue to book passengers through their apps.
"While both the transport department and the Delhi Police have been taking enforcement actions against taxis booked through such companies on road but they are still continuing to operate in Delhi," Gupta said in her letter.
All app-based cab service were banned in the national capital after a driver of Uber, the US-based online taxi- hailing company, was accused of raping a female passenger. In January, the company applied for a radio taxi licence to operate through its subsidiary Resource Expert India Pvt Ltd.
The transport commissioner also said that a number of complaints are being received by the transport department that operations of such taxi services in an unauthorised manner is putting the safety and security of commuters at risk.
"The transport department has also sought an undertaking from the these operators that they are complying with the ban orders before final decision on this application," she said.
"After considering all the aspects of the matter, the government of NCT has decided to get the apps of such taxi service blocked. It is requested therefore to block the operation of apps of M/s ANI Technologies Pvt Ltd (OLA cabs), Uber India Systems Private Ltd and Taxi For Sure so that they are not able to solicit passengers unauthorisedly through their apps," she added.
However, the Department of Electronic & Information Technology said it has not received any letter from the Delhi government in this regard.
"We have not received any letter from the Delhi government in this regard so far," an official of the department said.
Recently, Delhi government had sought suggestions from its Law Department on the possible ways and methods for blocking Uber's app and website in the national capital.
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