Entry of transport aggregator services like Ola and Uber in Pune has led to a jump in the number of applicants for taxi registration. Figures from the Pune Regional Transport Office (RTO) show it issued 3,210 new taxi permits last year, against just 933 during 2013-2014. The number of permits issued in 2012-13 was 1,032. Usage of technology and ease of doing business has come as a major boost for the beleaguered taxi service in the city. As per RTO rules, vehicles having valid taxi permits can only run as cabs on hire and the drivers should also have valid licenses, badges etc. Penal action can be initiated in case vehicles and drivers are found without valid licences during RTO raids. [related-post] RTO officials told Newsline that they had noticed a steady rise in the number of applicants for taxi permits. While there is no cap for the number of taxi permits that can be issued in a year, these permits lapse every eight years and have to be renewed. This year, between April and June, 1,000 new permits were issued. As of June 2015, the total number of taxi permits issued by the Pune RTO stood at 17,262. The figure was 13,993 in March 2014. RTO officials attribute the increase in the number of licences issued to the expansion of aggregator services in the city. “A majority of the applicants are individual cab owners. This licence allows them to go on the aggregator platform,” said a senior official. Sunil Pawar, a driver who recently acquired a taxi permit to boost his earning, says, “Earlier, I was part of the transport fleet of a BPO, but aggregator services allow more flexibility and more earning,” he said. While aggregator services still come under the grey area of the Motor Vehicles Act, RTO officials say they are yet to get clear directions on how to conduct inspections on vehicles which run on these aggregator platforms. Officers say they take action against cabs for advertising without permit, not carrying the paper etc. In a recent meeting presided over by the transport commissioner, it was decided to insist on police verification of drivers before issuance of permits. Between April and June this year, the RTO inspected 2,779 taxi cabs and found 790 vehicles flouting rules. Permits of nine cabs were suspended and the total fine collected was Rs 37.72 lakh.
