Kochi: App-based cab aggregator Uber on Thursday said it was considering taking legal recourse after traditional auto and taxi drivers continued to prevent them from operating a help-desk and picking up commuters from inside Ernakulam North, Aluva and Thrissur railway stations for the last over a week. Meanwhile, Uber officials lodged a separate complaint with the Railway Protection Force (RPF) after its women employees were allegedly verbally abused by the traditional drivers at Aluva railway station the other day.
“We want to settle the issue amicably and are giving full support to the railways in its talks with the protesting parties. However, we will wait for two to three days and then seriously think about the legal recourse,” said Nitin Nair, General Manager, Kerala region, Uber India. It all started with the railways signing a three-month pact with Uber and Ola under which they would be provided space inside stations to set up help-desks besides parking slots outside. While Uber has set up counters at Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam North, Aluva and Thrissur, Ola will operate out of Ernakulam South railway station.
“The issue was more or less settled at the Thiruvananthapuram railway station where both the traditional auto-taxis and we are operating amicably now. Our assistance kiosk is at the second entry of Thiruvananthapuram central railway Station near Power House Road,” Nair said.
The commuters arriving at the Ernakulam North station are facing difficulties as the auto-taxi drivers there are on indefinite strike, saying the permission granted for online cabbies to set up help-desks inside stations would affect their earnings substantially. Meanwhile, Uber withdrew all its women staff deployed at the stations, fearing bad behaviour from protesting drivers. “We’re holding talks with the railway senior DCM in two days,” he said.
