Chandigarh, May 2: Nine months after the state transport authority (STA) prepared a draft policy to allow bike taxis in Chandigarh, the UT administration has shelved the proposal, citing road safety issues and potential health hazard of a single helmet being used by several passengers.
This, in effect, means bike taxis launched by app-based cab aggregators Uber and Ola with much fanfare in Mohali last year will not be able to ply in Chandigarh.
In July last year, the Punjab government had launched its flagship scheme ‘Apni Gaddi Apna Rozgar’ by flagging off bike taxis in Mohali in partnership with Uber.
However, as the firm had failed to take permit from the Chandigarh administration, the STA challaned around 25 bike taxi riders for entering the city. Both Uber and Ola had applied for permission to run bike taxis here.
Later, the STA came out with a draft policy in September and submitted it to the UT administration for approval. But after two meetings, the proposal has been shelved.
Source: www.hindustantimes.com
