Telangana: Several booked for using private vehicles as bike taxis

Hyderabad: The Road Transport Authority (RTA) booked several bike riders, who were illegally using their vehicles as bike taxis on Friday.

The riders were booked for violations such as the absence of fitness certificates and bike taxis running on white number plates, instead of yellow ones designated for commercial vehicles.

The RTA officials said that were initiating an action based on a complaint received following which over a dozen people were booked at the Khairatabad office.

Motor vehicle inspectors at Khairtabad began checking two-wheelers in relevance to find any document which said that their vehicle can be used for commercial purposes but found a lack of any evidence that justified their business.

The inspecting officials said that those riders with white number plates on their bikes, being used as bike taxis, have been fined because they lack a fitness certificate, which is mandatory for any bike to be used as a taxi.

The riders have also been fined for associating their white plate bike with bike taxi-hailing apps, said the official.

Recently, the Telangana Gig And Platform Workers Union (TGPWU) wrote to transport minister, Puvvada Ajay Kumar alleging that several privately owned two-wheelers are operating bike taxis and are registered with ride-hailing apps, and demanded that they be taken off the roads.

The TGPWU state president, Shaik Salauddin in his letter, said that these privately owned two-wheelers are being used as commercial vehicles (taxis) which is against rules 50 and 51 of the Motor Vehicle Act of 1989 and demanded a cap on the number of bike taxis in the state.

He also brought to light the fact that several privately-owned two-wheelers associated with ride-hailing apps were impounded in other cities earlier this year.

Salahuddin further stressed that these privately-owned bike taxis are violating MV Act rules and are eating into the revenues and opportunities of autorickshaws and cab drivers whose vehicles have yellow number plates and are treated as commercial in nature.

The TGPWU state president also remarked that the bike taxi owners who were fined must be reimbursed by the ride-hailing app they are associated with.