DNA had highlighted in its April 15 edition on how rickshaw unions were getting uneasy over aggressive attempts by Ola to bring rickshaws into its fold.
Is it illegal for aggregator firms like Ola and Uber to enrol autorickshaws on their platform? Maybe or maybe not. In a candid admission, the state transport department has accepted that the role of autorickshaws in the aggregator trade is a grey area. This is because the state transport department, while framing the recently-accepted Maharashtra/City Taxi Service Rules set to govern the aggregator trade, simply did not figure in the role of rickshaws in it.
Speaking to DNA, SB Sahasrabudhe, joint transport commissioner said, "We have to admit that the presence of rickshaws in the aggregator trade is a grey area and it has to be studied further to come to a firm opinion." DNA had highlighted in its April 15 edition on how rickshaw unions were getting uneasy over aggressive attempts by Ola to bring rickshaws into its fold.
"Firms like Ola and Uber run their business on All-India Tourist Permit (AITP) holding cars. Rickshaws do not fall under the AITP due to the technical specifications like having a very small engine capacity. However since there are no rules of the state transport department currently that covers the aggregator trade, strictly speaking rickshaws taking part on an aggregator platform is legal," explained an official.
However he accepted the real problem starts once the Taxi Service Rules come into effect on the ground. "When the Maharashtra Taxi Service Rules was thought off, rickshaws did not figure in it at all. The entire emphasis was only on tourist cabs and black-yellow (BY) taxis. Once all the aggregator firms get new licences under this new set of rules, the role of rickshaws will have to be thought off. After all Mumbai has about 1.4 lakh rickshaws and any move that gives new options to the taxi trade must be given to the rickshaw sector as well for the sake of parity. After all a rickshaw is also a motor cab as per rules," said the official.
A legal headache:
1- The Maharashtra Taxi Rules set to govern Ola and Uber never figured anything on rickshaws
2- Plan was to get cabs with AITP to pay Rs 25000 or Rs 2.61 lakh (as per vehicle engine capacity) and get aggregator driver permits
3- State now has to rethink the rules keeping rickshaws in mind
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