Transport chief wants ban on Uber app

Two months after the Delhi rape incident, where the driver of the Uber cab service allegedly raped a woman passenger, the state transport commissioner’s office has recommended the smartphone application and website of the US-based taxi service be banned. The temporary ban has been sought until Uber fulfills all safety measures that have been made mandatory by the state under section 69 (A) of the Information Technology Act.

Two months after the Delhi rape incident, where the driver of the Uber cab service allegedly raped a woman passenger, the state transport commissioner’s office has recommended the smartphone application and website of the US-based taxi service be banned. The temporary ban has been sought until Uber fulfills all safety measures that have been made mandatory by the state under section 69 (A) of the Information Technology Act.

In a letter to the state government, transport commissioner’s office has said Uber had failed to take the steps recommended to ensure the safety of passengers. Transport commissioner Mahesh Zagade was unavailable for comment, while officials said the state will now have to decide on the ban.

Following the Delhi incident, the Union government had directed all state governments to take preventive steps to avoid such incidents. The transport commissioner’s office had then ordered all operators in the state to conduct police verification of drivers, install panic button in taxis, set up manned control rooms, form mobile squads and share driver and vehicle data with the police and transport authorities.

Sources in the transport department said the taxi aggregator has failed to submit the details of its drivers and vehicles.
In the last meeting, it also refused to stop cabbies without badges from plying the vehicles. Uber has not set up a manned control room and has also failed to form mobile units to provide immediate help to passengers in distress. The company conveyed the installation of a panic button, as suggested by the department, is not a practical idea.

Initially, the transport commissioner’s office had given operators time till January 15 to get all security measures in place, but the deadline was later extended by six weeks after most operators sought more time.