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Passengers want app-based auto services to continue in Pune
Auto-rickshaw unions are demanding that a mobile app be developed by the state government rather than using the mobile apps of any of these companies
In a setback for thousands of passengers using mobile application-based auto-rickshaw services in the city, the applications of Ola, Uber and two other aggregator companies for permits to run mobile app-based auto services in Pune have been rejected by the Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) two days ago. Meanwhile, auto-rickshaw unions are demanding that a mobile app be developed by the state government rather than using the mobile apps of any of these companies.
Keshav Kshirsagar, founder-director of K Evaluations Company, which is one of the aggregator companies whose application was rejected by the Pune RTO, said, “We are going to take up this issue now with the state government. One of the aggregator companies has bought a large number of cars to add to its services. Auto drivers too want this mobile app-based service but legally as per the rules and for that, we have started our own aggregator company in Pune.”
Kishore Shinde, an auto driver, said, “Most of my daily business comes from online auto bookings on the Ola mobile app. Passengers are dependent on this online service as the auto reaches their doorstep. We too get a better income and fixed revenue every month. Closing down the online app-based service is not only a loss for us but also a lot of trouble for the passengers.”
Whereas Nitin Pawar, secretary of the Auto-rickshaw Panchayat, one of the oldest auto-rickshaw unions in the state, said, “New advanced technology has become a part of our life and as we go forward, it is necessary to include this technology in our business. Auto-rickshaws are a public service in Pune and these companies should not interfere through their mobile app-based services. Our demand is that the state government or the transport department develop a mobile application through which passengers can book autos; this will be a win-win situation for both auto drivers and passengers.”
The issue of bike-taxi services has been going on in the state since last year and earlier, bike-taxis were refused permission by the Pune RTO. Subsequently, four aggregator companies including Ola, Uber, K Valuation Technologies and Rapido applied for auto permits to run their mobile app-based auto services in the city. Now that their applications too have been rejected, passengers are worried about getting autos at their doorstep.
Ramesh Sahani, a senior citizen, said, “We regularly use Ola to book autos to visit the doctor’s clinic, bank or any other place as we cannot go out on the road to call for an auto. This mobile app-based service is very useful especially for senior citizens like us and closing it down suddenly will be very much inconvenient for many like us.”
Another frequent passenger, Vrunda Khatri, said, “Booking an auto-rickshaw for travelling is cheaper as compared to a car. Already, the state transport department has closed down bike-taxis and now stopping auto-rickshaw services is not right. They should reconsider the decision as it is beneficial for lakhs of passengers using this service.”
Bike-taxi services in demand by youth, office-goers
Solo travellers are already hit after the state government closed down bike-taxi services following a long-drawn battle between aggregator companies and the state transport department. Bike-taxi services were very much in demand by the youth and office-goers as they were convenient and affordable. “I used to book the bike-taxi service on the Rapido app almost daily to travel to and from my college. As the service is closed now, I have to either go walking all the way to college or take an auto which is costlier than the bike-taxi,” said Ashutosh Rathi, a management student at one of the educational institutions in the city.
