CHANDIGARH: The deadlock between mobile app-based Uber and Ola taxi services and their drivers continued on the eighth consecutive day on Thursday over paying of entry tax in Chandigarh. Nearly 50% of the taxis remained off road, hassling commuters who had to pay higher rates to other cabs.
UT State Transport Authority (STA) secretary Harjeet Singh Sandhu said it was an issue between drivers and companies and UT had nothing to do with it. Moreover, UT’s entry tax (Rs 11 per day) is very less as compared to Punjab’s Rs 240 per day and Haryana’s Rs 40 per day, he said. He added that there were around 6,600 app-based taxis operating in Chandigarh, and of these, more than 5,000 were registered in Mohali and 500 in Chandigarh. As of now around 3,000 cabs are operating in Chandigarh, whereas others have been on strike in Mohali, he added.
During a meeting with association of cab drivers on February 4, adviser to UT administrator Manoj Parida had stated that the pending government revenue has to be paid by the cab drivers. He had also stated that since the entry fee of Chandigarh was only Rs 333 per month, which was much cheaper than the neighbouring states, there should be no reason for default.
In the meeting, it was decided that all stakeholders may be allowed to make payment of first two quarters of the current financial year by February 15 and the remaining must be cleared by March 31. After this, a special drive will be started by the transport and traffic police departments to penalise the defaulters.
Meanwhile, cab drivers refused to budge, saying they would not end the strike till managements of the cab agencies agreed to pay them adequate remuneration per km. Harvinder Singh, president of the Cab Operators’ Social Welfare Association, said they were not against the Chandigarh administration, but against the companies cheating them. They were not paid more than Rs 10 per km, whereas customers were charged as high as Rs 40 to Rs 50 per km. Besides, the companies want drivers to pay even the entry tax from their own pockets, which was not justified, he added.
There was no response from Uber and Ola representatives on the issue.
Rs 1,000 is per quarter entry fee
More than 6,000 cabs are plying in the city, catering to the Tricity commuters. According to the On Demand Transport Aggregators Rules, 2017, except for the about 500 cabs registered in the city, an entry fee of Rs 1,000 per cab has to be paid every quarter by the aggregators. The STA had allowed Ola and Uber to offer their services in 2017 and therefore, the department is seeking unpaid dues for nine quarters.
Cab drivers’ demands
The protesting cab drivers are demanding that tax should be the same for Tricity; base fare (0-5km) should be reserved at Rs 100 and for further ride it should be Rs 15 per km and it should be given to driver; waiting charges (during jam and others) should be Rs 5 per minute; daily allowance of Rs 2,000 per day should be given to drivers for outstation trips; parking space should be arranged for cabs at public places, where they should not be charged fee; pick up should be within 2km; driver insurance should be done by companies and there should be an increment policy.
UT State Transport Authority (STA) secretary Harjeet Singh Sandhu said it was an issue between drivers and companies and UT had nothing to do with it. Moreover, UT’s entry tax (Rs 11 per day) is very less as compared to Punjab’s Rs 240 per day and Haryana’s Rs 40 per day, he said. He added that there were around 6,600 app-based taxis operating in Chandigarh, and of these, more than 5,000 were registered in Mohali and 500 in Chandigarh. As of now around 3,000 cabs are operating in Chandigarh, whereas others have been on strike in Mohali, he added.
During a meeting with association of cab drivers on February 4, adviser to UT administrator Manoj Parida had stated that the pending government revenue has to be paid by the cab drivers. He had also stated that since the entry fee of Chandigarh was only Rs 333 per month, which was much cheaper than the neighbouring states, there should be no reason for default.
In the meeting, it was decided that all stakeholders may be allowed to make payment of first two quarters of the current financial year by February 15 and the remaining must be cleared by March 31. After this, a special drive will be started by the transport and traffic police departments to penalise the defaulters.
Meanwhile, cab drivers refused to budge, saying they would not end the strike till managements of the cab agencies agreed to pay them adequate remuneration per km. Harvinder Singh, president of the Cab Operators’ Social Welfare Association, said they were not against the Chandigarh administration, but against the companies cheating them. They were not paid more than Rs 10 per km, whereas customers were charged as high as Rs 40 to Rs 50 per km. Besides, the companies want drivers to pay even the entry tax from their own pockets, which was not justified, he added.
There was no response from Uber and Ola representatives on the issue.
Rs 1,000 is per quarter entry fee
More than 6,000 cabs are plying in the city, catering to the Tricity commuters. According to the On Demand Transport Aggregators Rules, 2017, except for the about 500 cabs registered in the city, an entry fee of Rs 1,000 per cab has to be paid every quarter by the aggregators. The STA had allowed Ola and Uber to offer their services in 2017 and therefore, the department is seeking unpaid dues for nine quarters.
Cab drivers’ demands
The protesting cab drivers are demanding that tax should be the same for Tricity; base fare (0-5km) should be reserved at Rs 100 and for further ride it should be Rs 15 per km and it should be given to driver; waiting charges (during jam and others) should be Rs 5 per minute; daily allowance of Rs 2,000 per day should be given to drivers for outstation trips; parking space should be arranged for cabs at public places, where they should not be charged fee; pick up should be within 2km; driver insurance should be done by companies and there should be an increment policy.
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