Amid rising concerns over fare regulation, authorities in Pune have taken action against Uber for not complying with approved pricing norms set by the Regional Transport Authority (RTA).
Regional Transport Officer Archana Gaikwad confirmed that a letter has been issued to Uber, seeking an explanation for the non-compliance. The notice also warns that the app could be deactivated in Pune if the company fails to follow the mandated fare structure.
As part of enforcement, officials may stop cab and autorickshaw drivers to check if they are using the Uber platform and whether they are charging fares as per RTA-approved rates. Drivers found violating the rules may face fines or be asked to remove the Uber application.
Last week, the Pune collector, who also heads the RTA, directed all aggregators — Uber, Ola, and Rapido — to align fares with approved rates by the end of April. The structure sets Rs37 for the first 1.5 kilometres and Rs25 for every additional kilometre.
“Only Uber has not complied with the same. A letter has come to us from the state transport department to act against any aggregators not complying with the fare rules,” Gaikwad said.
A response from Uber is still awaited. A source noted that direct action against the company may be complex due to an ongoing case related to its operational permit at the State Transport Appellate Tribunal (STAT).
“The action against Uber operators will hopefully compel the aggregator to follow the prescribed fare structure. The checks will also bring to the fore if commuters are being charged ‘meter fares’,” another RTO official said.
Keshav Kshirsagar, president of the India Gig Workers Front, stated that other aggregators are complying with the rules. “The problem is only with Uber. In Pune, around 35,000 cabbies and autorickshaw drivers use the Uber application. In Pimpri Chinchwad, the count is around 10,000. We have deactivated our ‘onlymeter.in’ application after the RTO instructed us to do so. But if Uber doesn’t comply with the fare rule, other aggregators might follow suit. If that happens, we will have to resume the website,” he said.
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