Only CNG cabs will ply on Delhi roads: HC

Guidelines have been put together to legalise app-based taxi companies, including the United States-Uber and its domestic rival Ola, ending months of uncertainty on how they operate in the country.

The cab aggregator also contended that it did not need to switch from taxis running on diesel to those fuelled by compressed natural gas (CNG), saying that a restriction imposed by the apex court was with respect to the age of the vehicles and not the kind of fuel used. “You have to comply with my order (to run on CNG)”.

Even as the Delhi government’s counsel tried to explain that Uber and other taxi companies were not adhering to the ban, the Division Bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Jayant Nath directed the government to put down its arguments on record and file a reply to Uber’s plea.

ANI Technologies Ltd., which provides app-based cab services under the name of Ola, had on September 3 told the court that it has modified its software to ensure that no diesel taxis provide point-to-point service in the city.

Uber and Ola both welcomed the government’s move as a step in the right direction.

The states may set the maximum fares to be charged to provide a level playing field with taxis, according to the advisory.

Uber India, which was represented by way of senior advocate Rajiv Nayar, stated that it will possibly substitute the diesel taxis with CNG cabs inside six months.

Hearing which the decide stated that Ola undertook to make the change in an cheap time interval, “so it’s essential to be lifelike and do the identical in time sure method and inform us”.

The association has claimed that the choice provided by the Ola app, to travel “within Delhi” or “Delhi-NCR” only works if cabs are booked from central Delhi, while in other areas the software reverts back to its earlier format.

The Delhi government now postulates a scheme that we should ease out diesel taxis and replace them with CNG/LPG cabs.

The matter will continue to be heard on Wednesday.