In a relief to bike taxi aggregators like Uber and Rapido, Delhi High Court on May 26 stayed the notice issued by the Delhi transport department to stop services.
The division bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Neena Bansal Krishna also directed the transport department to not take any coercive steps against Rapido and Uber till such time policy is framed, according to Uber and Rapido.
In a statement, Rapido said: “We welcome the Delhi high court's order, which declares that 'no coercive measures shall be taken against bike taxi operators and its riders by the concerned authorities in the Delhi NCT until the government notifies the necessary regulations to govern bike taxi operations"
Further, it stated: "It is a resounding victory and a powerful testament to the immense impact bike taxis have on millions of people in our national capital. Bike taxis represent a transformative innovation for a thriving metropolis and a progressive nation like India, addressing the crippling challenges of traffic congestion, unemployment, affordability, last-mile connectivity, and environmental pollution head-on”.
Another aggregator Uber, in a statement, said: “We welcome the high court’s order to give Uber protection from coercive action on bike taxis in Delhi. This will bring relief to drivers on our platform whose livelihoods had been impacted by the ban as also to the hundreds and thousands of riders who choose to ride on Moto for affordability and last-mile connectivity. We are committed to serving the city and being the platform of choice for riders and drivers alike" said a spokesperson.
In February this year, the transport department issued a public notice to aggregators like Uber, Rapido and Ola to stop plying their bike taxi services effective immediately.
“It has been brought to the notice that two-wheelers having non-transport (private) registration mark/numbers are being used to carry passengers on hire which is a purely commercial operation and a violation of the Motor Vehicle Act, 1988,” the transport department said in the notice.
Also, read: Ban on bike taxis in Delhi leaves in its wake disgruntled student passengers and confused drivers
