BHUBANESWAR: The Transport department has initiated steps to cancel permits of the autorickshaws used by the rideshare app drivers to block the road near Station Square on Wednesday during their protests demanding government regulation of online fares.
Initial investigation and thorough information collected from the police revealed that more than 400 autorickshaws were used to block the road, said the Transport department in a statement issued later in the evening.
“As the use of vehicles in such illegal activity completely violates the conditions of the permits granted, action has been initiated under section 86(1)(b) of the Motor Vehicles Act to cancel or suspend the permits of more than 400 autorickshaws so far,” it added.
Bhubaneswar-1 RTO has issued show-cause notices to all the registered owners and permit holders of the vehicles concerned. They have been directed to provide information regarding under whose control the vehicle was at the time of the said incident and whether it was used with the owner’s permission, direction and knowledge.
All vehicle owners who have received the notice have been asked to submit a written clarification along with the necessary documents and to remain present at the RTO office for personal hearing, said Transport department officials.
They added that in the event no reply is received within the prescribed time or the person concerned remains absent, a decision regarding cancellation or suspension of the permit will be taken unilaterally on the basis of the available records.
“It has also been clarified that this action will not have any effect on other criminal or other legal proceedings related to the incident,” the officials said.
