In the wake of rising discontentment among cab drivers attached to private aggregator platforms, the State government is now contemplating starting its own taxi service.
Transport Minister D.C. Thammanna told The Hindu on Sunday that there is a proposal to start a government-owned cab service on the lines of private taxi aggregators such as Ola and Uber, and that the department was studying the pros and cons.
“Starting a cab service will protect the interests of local drivers. There are allegations that drivers are being harassed and a good number of them have left these platforms. Concerns have been raised over safety of women travelling in taxis and we have to address this issue as well,” he said.
Asked about the investment and infrastructure required, he said: “In the coming days, we will hold several rounds of deliberations on this subject. We will also approach companies such as Infosys and Wipro seeking their help to provide the necessary infrastructure.” Welcoming the move, Tanveer Pasha, president of Ola, Taxi For Sure, Uber Drivers’ and Owners’ Association, said that if the State government started its own service, it would be a win-win situation for both the drivers and customers. “Ola and Uber often violate rules and have next to no safety measures in place to safeguard the interest of the customers. The drivers on these platforms are suffering. By starting its own cab service, the government will be the first to take such a move in the country,” he said.