KOLKATA:
Kolkata Police
has decided to use the provisions of Motor Vehicles Act — the same sections used to prosecute yellow taxis — to slap a penalty of Rs 500 on app-cab drivers who cancel trips without any valid reason.
Cops say though the state has issued guidelines for app cabs, which says that Rs 100 can be docked from the driver and aggregator and passed on to the passenger, it is yet to be implemented on the ground. “We are getting complaints that the new guidelines are not being followed.
Neither the app-cab drivers nor the transport department has challenged us even as complaints on cancellations are rising by the day. If they challenge us, we will ask drivers to state whether indeed they are following the other provisions of the new guidelines,” stated a senior traffic officer.
The police will henceforth forward all other app-cab complaints except cancellations and misbehaviour (like not switching on the AC, surge fares) to the transport department as these complaints are beyond police jurisdiction.
More than 200 taxis and app-cab drivers were summoned to Lalbazar since February and penalized on charges of refusals, not reaching their destinations, charging extra and misbehaving with passengers. The
Special Raid section
, which summoned the drivers, also asked them to give it in writing that such incidents will not be repeated in the future. Cops say around 20 complaints are being received per day regarding app cabs.
The Special Raid Section – which also held meetings with both
Ola and Uber company officials in this regard last year – hinted they will meet them again soon. The app-cab companies have informed cops that they have kept a cancel option for its driver partners and hence the right to reject passengers has been accorded to them. "They have informed us that they suspend drivers who are refusing passengers (anyone cancelling 40%-50% or more bookings) regularly. The suspension period usually lasts for 7-10 days," said an officer.
However, the biggest problem, claimed cops, was drivers forcing passengers to cancel the trip. The drivers deliberately ask passengers to either cancel, or arrive late, to ensure that they themselves do not need to cancel the trip and invite the company's ire.
On an average, three-four cabbies cancel the trip on one pretext or another. This has actually forced me to look for other app-based AC options like minibuses,” said
Nabarun Sen, an IT employee.