KOLKATA: State Transport department is mulling to come up with a legislation to curb the arbitrary fare hike by the app-cab aggregators.
The move comes after the app-cab company (Uber) hiked fare by 15 per cent without the approval from the state Transport department on Wednesday. Instead of Rs 10 per kilometre, the passengers are paying Rs 14.70. Time charge has been reduced by Re 1. Another app-cab aggregator Ola had also threatened to hike the fare.
"We have issued a cautionary letter to the app-cab aggregators mentioning that they cannot hike fare on their own. We have called them for a meeting," said state Transport minister Firhad Hakim.
"We are grateful to the state Transport department for taking such a step. We have earlier written a letter urging the state Transport department to set up guidelines for hiking fare for app-cab aggregators," said Md Manu, general secretary of Kolkata Ola Uber App Cab Operator and Drivers' Union (KOUACODU).
He reiterated that the state government should also appoint officials to keep track of app-cab aggregators whether they are charging surcharges taking advantage of the situation (rainy days).