Tamil Nadu Govt Moves Madras HC Seeking Ban On Two-Wheeler Taxis

The Madras HC adjourned the case for four weeks.

Tamil Nadu Transport Department started seizing bike-taxis from the time Rapido launched its operations in 2019.

Tamil Nadu government moved Madras High Court seeking a ban on two-wheeler taxis operated by private transport aggregators on Wednesday. The government sought the ban demanding that such vehicles cannot be considered safe for commercial purposes since it puts commuters at risk. 

In 2019, Tamil Nadu Transport Department started seizing the bike-taxis from the time Rapido launched the operations. The transport department also wrote to Google, Apple India and Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CRET-In) demanding them to remove the Rapido app from their service. However, Rapido moved court and got a stay against the government's move. The court also directed the transport department to make rules for regulating the operation of bike taxis in the state. 

The Union transport ministry also directed Tamil Nadu government to frame guidelines after it issued guidelines aiming to regulate taxi, auto and bike services provided by private aggregators. The private bike aggregators include Ola, Uber, Rapido and other mobile apps. 

In a petition on the Madras High Court, the transport commissionerate stated that it had sent a proposal on aggregator guidelines to the government and final guidelines were expected. The transport department sought directions from Madras High Court to prevent Rapido from linking private bike owners with commuters. 

The Madras HC adjourned the case for four weeks.

Meanwhile, a report on Mobility Outlook said Rapido Auto has launched a partnership with Association for Non-traditional Employment for Women (ANEW) to provide employment opportunities for underprivileged women by providing them with autos. They aim to train them as auto-rickshaw drivers to serve on Rapido. 

The partnership also aims to provide extra training and licensing for underprivileged women. It will also give them with necessary tools and support to effectively use the platform.