Bike taxi ban: Drivers write to Delhi LG citing livelihood threat

A section of bike taxi drivers has sought Delhi LG V K Saxena’s intervention in helping them stave off a Delhi government ban which proscribed them from plying on city roads in absence of a policy. The Delhi government had earlier in the week banned app-based taxi services such as Rapido and Uber in view of absence of a policy for plying of bike taxis on city roads.

In a memorandum they handed over to LG’s office, the drivers said the Delhi government was adamant on banning their services.

“We will face difficulties in meeting household expenses, getting our children educated and getting our parents treated,” read the memorandum.

The Supreme Court had on Monday stayed a Delhi High Court order that essentially allowed Rapido and Uber to operate in the national capital by asking the Delhi government not to take any coercive action against them till a new policy was formulated.

A vacation bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Rajesh Bindal at Supreme Court granted liberty to the two aggregators to request urgent hearing of their pleas by the Delhi HC.

Transport Commissioner Ashish Kundra said the government will write to aggregators and also appeal to them through the media to comply with the Supreme Court order or face action.

The bench, which stayed the May 26 order of the Delhi HC, also recorded the Delhi government counsel’s submission that the final policy will be notified before July-end.

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