Karnataka transport department set to revoke Ola ban today
Christian Mathew Philip, Shrinivasa M | TNN | Mar 25, 2019, 07:08 IST
Representative imageBENGALURU: The Karnataka government on Sunday decided to withdraw its order suspending the licence of cab aggregator Ola for six months. A meeting of the State Transport Authority (STA) on Monday is expected to formalise the decision.
Transport minister DC Thammanna said an order will be issued on Monday. TOI on Sunday reported Ola and the government were most likely to end the deadlock on Monday. Social welfare minister Priyank Kharge gave a hint of a breakthrough in a tweet that said Ola cabs will run as usual from Sunday. He added that policies must catch up with new technologies and that industries should work closer with the government "to help evolve policies for innovation".
Transport department officials on Sunday said the ban on Ola has not been revoked yet. "We don't know on what basis the social welfare minister made the announcement that Ola cabs will run as usual. We haven't issued an order. In fact, we haven't implemented the suspension order, and that's the reason no cabs have been seized. We'll take a decision based on the outcome of the STA meeting," said a senior transport department official.
Ola cabs, autos plying as usual across Karnataka
Transport department officials on Sunday said the ban on Ola has not been revoked yet. In Karnataka, Ola operates in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi, Ballari, Belagavi and Kalaburagi. Ola obtained the aggregator licence valid up to June 19, 2021 from the department in 2016.
The State Transport Authority (STA) had issued a notice on March 18 to ANI Technologies, which operates Ola, suspending its licence for six months for running bike taxis in the city. However, Ola continued to operate its services, including cars and autorickshaws, across the state.
“We don’t know on what basis did the social welfare minister (Khrage) make the announcement that Ola cabs will run as usual. We haven’t issued an order. In fact, we haven’t implemented the suspension order, and that’s the reason no cabs have been seized. We’ll take a decision based on the outcome of the STA meeting,” said a transport department official.
“We’ll take action against vehicles after examining Ola’s response,” transport commissioner VP Ikkeri had told TOI on Saturday.
Transport department mulls hefty fine on Ola
The transport department has suggested that Ola must be fined Rs 10,000 each for the bike taxis seized or operated in violation of rules. “We’ve seized 250 bike taxis, operated by Ola and Rapido. The state transport authority will have to take a decision,” a department official said.
Rule 3 of the Karnataka On-Demand Transportation Technology Aggregator allows the government to collect fines between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 from operators.
Transport minister DC Thammanna said an order will be issued on Monday. TOI on Sunday reported Ola and the government were most likely to end the deadlock on Monday. Social welfare minister Priyank Kharge gave a hint of a breakthrough in a tweet that said Ola cabs will run as usual from Sunday. He added that policies must catch up with new technologies and that industries should work closer with the government "to help evolve policies for innovation".
Transport department officials on Sunday said the ban on Ola has not been revoked yet. "We don't know on what basis the social welfare minister made the announcement that Ola cabs will run as usual. We haven't issued an order. In fact, we haven't implemented the suspension order, and that's the reason no cabs have been seized. We'll take a decision based on the outcome of the STA meeting," said a senior transport department official.
Ola cabs, autos plying as usual across Karnataka
Transport department officials on Sunday said the ban on Ola has not been revoked yet. In Karnataka, Ola operates in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru, Hubballi, Ballari, Belagavi and Kalaburagi. Ola obtained the aggregator licence valid up to June 19, 2021 from the department in 2016.
The State Transport Authority (STA) had issued a notice on March 18 to ANI Technologies, which operates Ola, suspending its licence for six months for running bike taxis in the city. However, Ola continued to operate its services, including cars and autorickshaws, across the state.
“We don’t know on what basis did the social welfare minister (Khrage) make the announcement that Ola cabs will run as usual. We haven’t issued an order. In fact, we haven’t implemented the suspension order, and that’s the reason no cabs have been seized. We’ll take a decision based on the outcome of the STA meeting,” said a transport department official.
“We’ll take action against vehicles after examining Ola’s response,” transport commissioner VP Ikkeri had told TOI on Saturday.
Transport department mulls hefty fine on Ola
The transport department has suggested that Ola must be fined Rs 10,000 each for the bike taxis seized or operated in violation of rules. “We’ve seized 250 bike taxis, operated by Ola and Rapido. The state transport authority will have to take a decision,” a department official said.
Rule 3 of the Karnataka On-Demand Transportation Technology Aggregator allows the government to collect fines between Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000 from operators.
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