KOLKATA: Two major aggregators of app cabs have submitted a compliance report with aggregated data — on restricting fare within the government-prescribed limit — to the transport department. Though the reports appeared to be satisfactory, the government will now visit the date centres of Ola and Uber for a reality check on surge fares.
Apart from checking surge fare, the transport department will check if the companies are limiting the total number of rides with dynamic fares to 25% of total rides.
The transport department officers will take an expert on software algorithm to understand the functioning of fixing fares. “After the evaluation, we will submit a report for further action, if necessary,” said an officer.
Both Ola and Uber have told the transport department that they had not exceeded the dynamic fare beyond 45% of the charges for AC metered taxi fare, as approved by the government. They also claimed that they managed to limit the total number of rides with fare more than the authoritative price of AC metered taxi to within 25% of total rides.
Though many agreed that app-cab fares have come down to an affordable limit, many alleged the government-stipulated fares are not being complied with on many occasion.
Apart from Kolkata, various other metro cities, including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, had tried to cap the surge fare in the past but only Bengaluru managed to implement it. But Bengaluru has an access fee, which often makes app cabs unaffordable. In Mumbai and Delhi, the highest surge fare was capped but the aggregators have moved court.
Image used for representational purpose only
