Bengaluru: App-based cab operators are taking passengers for a ride, literally, but no one is holding them to account. While they continue to charge jacked up fares citing peak hour traffic and increase in demand, the Transport Department continues to wait for the Centre to pass rules on cab operators.
Under normal circumstances, the fare for 7.82 km is Rs 156. But a passenger on Sunday was charged Rs 192 extra for a Ola mini cab drive and he ended up paying Rs 348. Apart from the ride time and service charge, Ola also slaps peak time charge by multiplying the normal fare by 2.4. Uber too has the same policy. When Deccan Chronicle brought the issue to the notice of Mr Anand Subramanian, Senior Director, Marketing Communications, Ola, he said, “It is called Peak Price charge. It is a dynamic pricing system that every industry uses like airlines or tatkal service in the Railways. We have this system in place when there is too much demand and not enough cabs to service the additional demand. This will encourage more divers to join the platform who will earn a little more as well the consumers will get a reliable service quickly. Again Ola app has multiple services which do not have peak price charge like Ola auto and the app is also linked with Taxiforsure app. There are many choices.”
But Uber commuters still don’t know who to approach with a grievance as the operator does not have a helpline in place.
Recently, a woman passenger booked an Uber cab from Phoenix Mall. But another passenger took the taxi, whose fare had to be paid by the first passenger. She narrated, “When I called the driver, he said it would take just 10 minutes for him to reach the place. After sometime when I called him again, the driver did not pick up the phone. Subsequently, a woman answered the phone, saying that she had taken the cab and requested me to take another cab that she had booked. The other woman, who took my cab paid Rs 199, while I ended up paying Rs 299. Who will reimburse my Rs 100?” An official from Uber said, “To fix your query or issues, shoot an email to support@uber.com or tweet at Uber Bangalore@ Uber.”
The transport department has been booking cases against cab operators for charging extra fare. But the drive has taken a backseat as the city is facing elections. Joint Commissioner L. Narendra Holkar, Bengaluru Urban and Rural said, “We are going slow on the drives. But these cab aggregators are not allowed to overcharge the passengers. We will resume the drives in a day or two.”
Mr R.K. Holla, Bangalore Tourist Taxi Owners Association, said, “We have had talks with the transport department to regulate these app-based cab operators. We met the transport commissioner of July 31 who assured us that it will be done in seven days, but nothing has happened. The department is looking amend 2006 Radio Taxi Scheme and bring these cabs under these rules, where they will be compelled to have digital meters. This modified radio taxi scheme should be brought soon. The state government can pass an order and act. They do not have necessarily wait for a order from the center.”
“If our vehicle driver indulges in any activity we will be liable. But there no is mechanism to held Uber liable. Again Ola has got permits for only 60 cabs but they are running thousands of them. There are about 25,000 unregulated cabs plying in the city but the RTO is interested to nab only non-Karnataka registered vehicles who work in their offices from morning to night and pay taxes.”
