Pune: In the recent meeting taken at the collector office, the Regional Transport Authority (RTA) in Pune decided to regulate the rates of Ola and Uber taxis within the city. The decision comes in response to recent complaints from Ola and Uber drivers regarding low fares by other private transporters, which also led to a one-day strike by gig workers in Pune. Dr. Keshav Kshirsagar, the president of the Indian Gig Workers Front, appeals for similar regulation of taxi fares as in the Mumbai model.
The RTA will base the new taxi rates on the air-conditioned (AC) taxi rates prevalent in Mumbai. To determine the revised fares, the Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) administration is set to conduct a comprehensive study and subsequently submit a report to the RTA. Once the report is approved by the president, the new rates will come into effect.
During a meeting, various issues were discussed. Everest Fleet, along with other private vendors and traditional cab services, were part of the discussion. The RTO is also slated to investigate if there is any discrimination in the rates of rickshaw drivers, and appropriate action will be taken if necessary.
Furthermore, a directive was issued to halt the operation of private cars with white number plates on all ride-sharing apps within the next two weeks. This move aims to ensure fair competition in the industry. Additionally, companies like Ola and Uber will collaborate to create a mechanism to “blacklist” drivers based on passenger complaints. However, this action will only be taken after thorough verification.
In this meeting, Resident Collector Jyoti Kadam, Pune Regional Transport Officer (RTO) Sanjeev Bhor, and Assistant Labour Commissioner Datta Pawar Dr. Keshav Kshirsagar, along with representatives of trade unions such as Varsha Shinde, Mauli Nalavde, Vinod Ghuge, Ajay Mundhe, and Fayyaz Momin, were present.
