 "Photo by Emanuele, courtesy Tech in Asia")
The Maharashtra government has relaxed existing state laws, whereby kaali-peeli (black and yellow) taxis would be allowed to join aggregator platform.
Besides, radio taxis are allowed to be converted into this scheme, bringing parity for all. In this context, the government issued a draft of Maharashtra City Taxi Rules, 2016, to regulate the licensing of app-based taxi aggregators.
The rules envisages establishment of maximum and minimum prices, expected to ensure pricing freedom to aggregators and taxi players.
A senior officer, engaged in drafting of these rules, told Business Standard, “Any black and yellow taxi will be freely allowed to get attached to any licensee under these rules by informing the Regional Transport Authority concerned and by affixing such roof light on the vehicle as may be specified by the latter. Further, black and yellow taxi, deemed to be operating under these rules, will be allowed to revert to operate under the original permit as regular hail taxi by intimating the authority. The permit and the vehicle attached to any licensee under these rules will be freely allowed to be transferred to any other licensee but only after at least one month of operation attached to the earlier licensee has elapsed.”
The official said the objective of these rules was also to give level playing field to all operators and protect the interest of commuters. Besides, the rules envisages that the licensing authority will prescribe the minimum and maximum limit for rates of fare with respect to vehicles operating under permits granted.
The official said the objective of these rules was also to give level playing field to all operators and protect the interest of commuters. Besides, the rules envisages that the licensing authority will prescribe the minimum and maximum limit for rates of fare with respect to vehicles operating under permits granted.
These rates will be decided as per type of vehicle provided that no such limits may be prescribed for vehicles with engine capacity of 2000cc or more.
The official said the rules gives due importance for the environment protection. “Any vehicle, operating under these rules, will have to be driven on clean fuel including unleaded petrol or CNG or LPG or hybrid or electrical and they should meet emission standards.”
The licensee will have to develop and include a feature in its mobile application that provides the passenger a facility to share their real time location with up to five people within their safety network and to contact local police in case of an emergency.
