Uber given 7-day ultimatum by Delhi govt

US-based radio taxi service Uber has been given a seven-day ultimatum by Delhi government to remove deficiencies in its application for running cabs in the national capital, failing which its plea to procure licence will be rejected.
Government has also given such final opportunity to another app-based cab service provider 'Serendipity Infolabs Pvt Ltd' to remove deficiencies found its application.
Uber, which was banned two-and-a-half months ago after one of its drivers allegedly raped a woman, had applied for licence on January 22 to operate app-based taxi booking service through its subsidiary Resource Expert India Pvt Ltd.
The government, however, had issued a 'deficiency memo' on January 24 asking it to furnish all details before it as mentioned in recently introduced 'Modified Radio Taxi Scheme (2006),' an official said.

The scheme was finalised on January 1 following the outrage over rape of the woman on December 5 last allegedly inside the Uber cab.
App-based taxi operator 'Taxi For Sure' and another operator had also applied for licences and similar 'deficiency memo' were served to them as well.

"We have issued them a deficiency memo on January 24 and a reminder was also sent in this regard on February 11. Since no reply was received on any of the two communications, we have given them a final opportunity to Uber to furnish the details within seven days," said a senior transport department official.

However, Uber issued a statement later in the evening, saying, "Uber has been and will continue to work with the authorities. We are evaluating the perceived deficiencies in the time period provided to us by the government."
Sources said that the three app-based taxi providers in their applications did not provide full details for procuring a licence according to laid down rules.
"In Uber's application, certificate/undertaking for parking of radio taxis was not provided. They also did not mention telephone number, e-mail address and address proof of their registered office in Delhi.
"Besides, call centre management details were also not provided in the application," a top source said.

Sources also said that in the application of Taxi For Sure, details of drivers and undertaking of induction schedule were not provided.
"Certificate/undertaking for parking of radio taxis was not provided in Taxi For Sure's applications. Call centre arrangement details and print out of of web portal were also not provided," the source added.
The official said that besides Uber, a seven-day final ultimatum has been given to 'Serendipity Infolabs Pvt Ltd'.