Transport minister orders crackdown on aggregator buses in Mumbai, and action against RTO officials
He added that stringent action will also be taken against senior RTO officials responsible for "not taking action" against bike taxis and aggregator buses that are illegally operating in the city.
"When I enquired with RTO officials, they said they have served notices to the bus aggregators and are awaiting response. But they should conduct raids and penalise them or stop the services," Sarnaik said. "We also need to formulate a policy for bus aggregators if it is of benefit to a larger section of commuters.
But allowing illegal operations of app-based buses should be halted.
Sources indicated that Uber Shuttle services could be disrupted on Friday, while one source said the 'Uber Shuttle' option could go off the app from Saturday. On Thursday, TOI had reported that many aggregator buses could go off roads fearing RTO action.
You Can Also Check:
Mumbai AQI
|
Weather in Mumbai
|
Bank Holidays in Mumbai
|
Public Holidays in Mumbai
There are over 450 buses operating under Uber Shuttle, Cityflo and other aggregator bus services across the Mumbai Metropolitan Region.
by Taboola
by Taboola
Sponsored Links
Sponsored Links
Promoted Links
Promoted Links
You May Like
Is it legal? How to get Internet without paying a subscription?
Techno Mag
Learn More
Undo
A source from Cityflo said the firm had applied for a licence a few months back and has been following up with state govt. "Cityflo has also submitted documents to the transport dept for several compliances and is willing to collaborate with govt to provide bus services," the source added.
At an event on Tuesday, a senior Uber official had said: "Uber Shuttle has received permission in Delhi and Kolkata, with collaboration from the state govts there.
It is a licensed product, responding to significant consumer demand. In Mumbai, a pilot project is underway to gather feedback from consumers and study how the service complements existing infrastructure."
Harsh Kotak from Mumbai Bus Malak Sanghatana said it is unfair to target only Uber Shuttle. There were other app-based aggregator buses, he said, adding that some of the buses operated by him on Uber Shuttle would go off roads from Friday.
Another bus operator said that the absence of shuttle buses will be a major disadvantage to office-goers who depend on them in the absence of AC BEST buses on long routes.
Sarnaik, who had caught a Rapido bike taxi operating illegally near Mantralaya in south Mumbai last week, said he will accompany RTO officials to crack down on aggregator buses operating without licence.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
21 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
TN's new mini bus scheme still remains a non-starter
CHENNAI: Despite high demand for transportation in Chennai and surrounding areas, the Mini Bus Scheme 2.0 that was launched on June 16 allowing private operators to run mini buses on routes up to 25km — risks repeating the same mistakes as the 1997 rollout. The scheme was intended to provide bus connectivity across more than 25,000km of unserved areas across Tamil Nadu. Although the transport department has issued proceedings — a document granted by the RTO after the operator presents the bus — for over 2,000 routes, services have yet to start on more than 50% of these routes, according to industry sources. Currently, mini buses are operational only on 1,200 routes that were migrated from the previous scheme and brought under the revised guidelines. A field survey by TNIE in Chennai found that several sanctioned routes remain non-operational. While the transport department claims services have been launched on 10 routes, buses are actually running on only three. In many areas, services either haven't begun or were discontinued shortly after starting. Even on routes where operations have commenced, only one round trip is being made daily — far below the 12 trips originally approved. 'Mini bus service operators may take time to begin ops' Likewise, in areas outside Chennai, mini bus services were halted after just a few days to a week due to low earnings. Transport Commissioner Shunchonngam Jatak Chiru told TNIE that he will take up the matter with the district collectors.
Time of India
12 hours ago
- Time of India
Autorickshaw union plans to launch app to tackle refusal menace in Mumbai
Mumbai: The Mumbai Rickshawmen's Union on Sunday announced its plan to launch an app aimed at combating the refusal menace. The app will assure commuters of a ride and allow autorickshaw bookings while ensuring payment is made only by the RTO-approved meter. Union leader Thampy Kurien, who proposed the idea to the transport department, is set to demonstrate it to officials at Mantralaya this week. "Unlike Ola and Uber, our app will not calculate fares that are low, very high, or dynamic in nature. It will merely book an auto and ensure pickup from your doorstep or wherever you are waiting. After the pickup, the driver will flag down the meter and take you to the destination, collecting the actual fare as per the meter, " Kurien told TOI. You Can Also Check: Mumbai AQI | Weather in Mumbai | Bank Holidays in Mumbai | Public Holidays in Mumbai The union is also considering introducing a convenience charge, potentially a nominal Rs 5 per trip for app usage. It will seek MMRTA approval for any fare above the RTO-approved meter fare, said Kurien. He explained that the app's necessity arises after a series of refusals by auto drivers. Police statistics indicate there were nearly 4.7 lakh challans in 2024 for refusals by autos and taxis, with auto refusals accounting for over 70%. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Interested in Investing? Cyprus Offers Many Options Cyprus Invest | Search ads Undo A senior transport official said they will review the app and, if it proves beneficial to commuters and auto drivers, there should be no issue in granting clearance. Kurien further indicated that he plans to challenge Ola and Uber autorickshaws operations in the city in Bombay high court. These vehicles do not operate by the meter despite drivers possessing state badges and permits, which require that vehicles function "only by the meter". Uber and Ola officials were unavailable for comment. Kurien also plans to petition the transport department to regulate autorickshaw operations outside railway stations. "At present, there are three different groups of autos – one which stands in queue and picks up passengers with no questions asked, the other which picks up while on the go, and a third group of cartel which parks autos at a distance and demands hefty share fares for popular destinations such as Linking Road, beaches, waterfronts, promenades, etc," he said. "We want govt to have a single queue outside all railway stations. If autorickshaws do not want to join this queue, they will have to drop passengers and leave the station precincts immediately. Those in queue should observe discipline and ferry all passengers – short or long distance," he added.
Time of India
17 hours ago
- Time of India
25 paise a month? MP Farmer's official income was just Rs 3 for 365 days, until the internet exploded and forced a fix
What can you buy with Rs 3 in India? Not even a cup of chai. But according to an official income certificate, that's all one farmer from Madhya Pradesh was supposedly earning in an entire year, prompting the Internet to crown him the 'poorest man in India.' The certificate, issued to 45-year-old Ramswaroop, a resident of Nayagaon village in Satna district, pegged his annual income at just Rs 3. Yes, you read that right. That's about 25 paise a month. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category healthcare Data Science Others Degree Product Management Artificial Intelligence Data Analytics Operations Management Management MBA Public Policy MCA Technology Data Science PGDM Leadership CXO Cybersecurity Digital Marketing Finance Project Management others Design Thinking Healthcare Skills you'll gain: Duration: 11 Months IIM Lucknow CERT-IIML Healthcare Management India Starts on undefined Get Details The document, signed by the local tehsildar, Saurabh Dwivedi, on July 22, instantly went viral on social media, leaving netizens stunned and amused in equal measure. Memes, jokes, and sharp political jibes followed. Many wondered if this was a glitch or a glimpse into the ground reality of rural India. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo But soon enough, the authorities scrambled to fix the 'clerical error.' From Rs 3 to Rs 30,000 Officials were quick to issue a new certificate by July 25, revising Ramswaroop's income to Rs 30,000 annually (or Rs 2,500 per month), which, while far from luxurious, was still slightly more believable. Live Events 'It was a clerical error, which has been corrected,' clarified Tehsildar Dwivedi. Congress slams MP Govt: 'Chair eats the commission' Sensing an opportunity, the Madhya Pradesh Congress jumped into the fray. Posting the now-infamous Rs 3 certificate on X (formerly Twitter), the party took a sharp dig at the ruling BJP. 'In CM Mohan Yadav's rule, we discovered India's poorest man! Annual income: just Rs 3!' the party wrote, sarcastically asking, 'Shocking, right? Is this a mission to make people poor? Because now, even the chair eats the commission.'
