Chandigarh shelves proposal to allow bike taxis

Safety concerns: Set to hit business of app-based aggregators plying bike taxis in Mohali, admn cites road safety, health concerns

Nine months after the state transport authority (STA) prepared a draft policy to allow bike taxis in Chandigarh, the UT administration has shelved the proposal, citing road safety issues and potential health hazard of a single helmet being used by several passengers.

The Punjab government had launched bike taxis in collaboration with Uber with much fanfare in Mohali in July last year. (HT File)

Rough ride

July 25, 2017: 100 bike taxis launched in Mohali

August 2: After UT challans around 25 bike taxi riders for entering the city without permit, they protest against Uber and Punjab government

September 21: After Chandigarh State Transport Authority prepares a draft policy for bike taxis, the administration raises concerns over road safety, health hazard

December 10: Transport secretary shelves the project for four months, stating the firms Ola and Uber are not too keen.

April 2018: UT administration shelves the project

This, in effect, means bike taxis launched by app-based cab aggregators Uber and Ola with much fanfare in Mohali last year will not be able to ply in Chandigarh.

In July last year, the Punjab government had launched its flagship scheme ‘Apni Gaddi Apna Rozgar’ by flagging off bike taxis in Mohali in partnership with Uber.

However, as the firm had failed to take permit from the Chandigarh administration, the STA challaned around 25 bike taxi riders for entering the city. Both Uber and Ola had applied for permission to run bike taxis here.

Later, the STA came out with a draft policy in September and submitted it to the UT administration for approval. But after two meetings, the proposal has been shelved.

‘Reasons aplenty’

A senior UT official, who did not wish to be named, said there are several reasons behind shelving the proposal. Firstly, speed governors cannot be installed in two-wheelers, raising road safety concerns. Besides this, the fact that the same helmet will be used by different passengers raises health and hygiene concerns.

The draft policy stated that each bike should be fitted with global positioning system to track the movement of bike taxis and the app-based aggregators should set up a round-the-clock call centre. The STA was supposed to issue the contract carriage permit and will fix the fare. “The licencee will not charge more than the maximum fare specified by the STA. The fare will be displayed on the bike,” the draft policy stated.

Meanwhile, Ola representatives said the firm is doing good business in Mohali, but Chandigarh’s refusal to allow entry to bike taxis remained a big hurdle.