Koch: Kerala High Court has held that drivers working with the app-based cab services like Uber and Ola have every right to drop and pick commuters from the airport, railway stations and bus stands.
The court asked the state police chief to issue instructions to the police personnel to maintain law and order at these places. Justice V. Chitambaresh issued the order on a plea filed by C. Nawas, an online taxi driver.
He sought a directive to permit him on the airport premises to pick and drop online customers. The court further issued notice to the state government, state police chief, Ernakulam district collector and the Cochin International Airport (CIAL).
As many as 35 FIRs were registered against the traditional taxi drivers for attacking the app-based drivers. The petitioner moved the court after he was manhandled on the airport premises by the prepaid taxi drivers on February 24.
According to the petitioner, the hooliganism was sponsored by airport prepaid taxi drivers with the aid of CIAL. A traveller has the right to choose either online taxis, conventional or prepaid and such right can’t be taken away by prepaid taxi drivers, he said.
