Kerala to raise concerns over motor vehicle aggregator guidelines

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government will raise its concerns to the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) regarding the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines 2020 issued last month, meant to regulate the unregulated cab aggregator segment, where the key players are the Uber and Ola.  Transport minister A K Saseendran directed a committee headed by transport secretary to file a report regarding the state’s reservations regarding the guidelines on December 9. The guidelines were aimed at defining aggregators, including taxi and bus services, and included it in Motor Vehicles Act (Amendment) Act, 2019. 

The guidelines are aimed at implementing the bus aggregator system where large fleet operators can function without permits that would result in toppling the special protection enjoyed by KSRTC in operating bus service, taxation and registration of vehicles. The state held a meeting on Friday to discuss the issues after the ministry sought the states’ feedback. 

“The state will frame its own guidelines as we cannot let the corporates become a threat to KSRTC and private bus operators here,” the minister said. According to him, the state will not allow new law to affect the permit system prevailing in the state. The meeting discussed concerns about the central laws governing the inter-state bus operation and safety of data handled by aggregator company.