Ola's drive to rope in autos based on false promises, claim unions

Hundreds of autorickshaw drivers in the city have been getting calls from a Hyderabad-based marketing number of aggregator cab firm Ola, which has started aggressively advertising its plan to roll out rickshaws on its cab-haling platform with a promise that drivers can earn up to 30 per cent more than their current income. The move has understandably agitated the rickshaw trade in the city, with union functionaries telling DNA that the move by the firm is an illegal one.

"The cars that run under these aggregator firms have an All-India Tourist Permit (AITP). Secondly, these cars do not have meters and so the fare charged by Ola and Uber is a private agreement between the driver, the customer and the firm. But rickshaws do not fall under the AITP-vehicle category. Also, rickshaws can only be run in Mumbai on a meter whose fare and reading are controlled by the transport department," said Thampi Kurien of the Mumbai Rickshawmen's Union.

The point Kurien raised was that if Ola is promising drivers a 30-per cent hike in income — something the firm is stating in its advertisements pasted on BEST buses — would it mean that drivers would charge over and above the meter reading?

"Charging fares above the meter is an offence under the Motor Vehicles Act and the driver is liable to have his permit cancelled. So how is the firm promising this extra income?" Kurien asked.

A query that DNA sent to Ola for clarifications on these issues did not elicit any response.