Centre recommends nationwide ban of all app-based taxi services including Uber

NEW DELHI: The Union home ministry has issued an advisory to all states and Union territories recommending a nationwide ban on all application-based taxi services, including Uber, until they secure a licence from the concerned state government or UT administration.

At the same time, Union home minister Rajnath Singh, who made a statement on the issue in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday afternoon, clarified that the ban on application-based taxi services was not permanent and would be lifted as and when a proper regulatory framework was in place.

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"The intention is not to ban but regularise these taxi services. The prohibition is until proper verification and registration of these services is done. We want to simplify the procedures in this regard and make them transparent. I will take effective steps in this regard in the next few days," he told the Elders.

Interestingly, the home ministry's call for a nationwide ban on application-based taxi services came even as surface transport minister Nitin Gadkari opposed such a move, stating that a ban was a "knee jerk reaction" and "hardly a solution".

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According to the home ministry advisory sent to the chief secretaries of all states/UTs late on Tuesday evening, "following the incident of a heinous crime in an All India Tourist Permit holder in Delhi associated with Uber company, web-based taxi service provider, the transport department of government of NCT of Delhi has banned the said taxi service (Uber) to provide any transport-related service in NCT of Delhi. All such web-based taxi service providers which are not licenced with the state governments/UT administrations should also be prohibited to operate till they get registered with the state governments/UT administrations," said the advisory issued by Union territory division of the Union home ministry.

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"It is advised to ensure that operations of these services are stopped and public may be advised not to hire any transport service provided by the said companies till they obtain necessary licence/permission from the state government/UT administration concerned," it added.

Meanwhile, Singh, in his statement made in the Rajya Sabha, said the Delhi Police was exploring the issue of possible legal liability of the Uber taxi service in the Delhi rape.

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