Uber was not registered as a transport company anywhere in India
Uber cabs were plying in Delhi without any permission and registration. The service was registered as a web company in Gurgaon. The company was running in gross violations of the rule as it never declared to the authorities it was running a web-based cab service.
Delhi Government on Thursday hardened its stand against Uber by blacklisting it. The company has already been banned and now it faces prosecution for running a commercial venture without prior approval of the competent authority.
If Uber was not registered with the Transport Department of Delhi Government, how was it operating a commercial venture in the national CapitalIJ Uber was not registered as a transport company anywhere in India; they are an IT company registered as technical support to cab operators.
The company’s website clearly states that Uber is not a transportation provider. Strangely, neither the Transport Department nor Delhi Traffic Police ever checked the credentials of the cab service provider. It functioned with just six employees across the country with Gagan Bhatia, the General Manager (Marketing), manning operations.
Sources said the decision to blacklist it taken under pressure from media and lieutenant Governor’s Office. Taking a serious note of lapses in regulating cab services, the Transport Department made it clear that only only six cab services are registered as radio taxis. Cab services operating without registration are banned in the Capital.
The Transport Department in its order said: “The said All India Tourist Permit taxi was provided by Uber on the request of the commuter through the Uber web application for a local journey within Delhi, which was in contravention of the MV Act, 1988 and rules framed there under. M/s Uber also misled the commuter about the nature of the taxi service offered by the Uber app. Keeping in view the above violation and the horrific crime committed by the driver, the Transport Department has banned all activities relating to providing any transport service by the www.uber.com with immediate effect. The Transport Department has also blacklisted the company from providing any transport service in the NCT of Delhi in future”.