Bengaluru: The Karnataka Transport Department has directed the aggregators to stop auto rickshaw services in Bengaluru on an immediate basis after receiving complaints of charging more than the stipulated fare.
However, it might take a day for the aggregators to stop auto rickshaw services due to software issues, Karnataka Transport Department Additional Commissioner L Hemantha Kumar said.
“It has been found by the department that aggregators are violating the rules and providing auto rickshaw services. The department also found that customers were being charged higher fares. Hence, aggregators are directed to discontinue auto rickshaw services on an immediate basis,” the department notified.
The department also directed the aggregators to submit a report in three days after which action will be initiated, Kumar said.
It had issued a notice in this regard to ANI Technologies which runs Ola, and also to Uber and Rapido aggregators, directing them to halt auto rickshaw services, as the existing rules permit only taxis to operate through aggregators.
In the letter, Kumar said the aggregators were granted permits to operate taxis only as per 2016 Karnataka On-Demand Transportation Technology Aggregators Rules.