HYDERABAD: In a first in the State, the Cyberabad Traffic Police booked three cab drivers for refusing a ride to passengers after they confirmed the bookings. The complaints were booked under Section 178 of MV Act which states that a contract carriage vehicle can’t deny a ride to passengers post booking and are liable to pay a fine of `500. The police have already issued challans costing `500 each to three drivers on e-challan network and will take in more complaints. “The provision has been there for a long time. Citizens can now lodge a complaint with us via social media,” noted DCP Vijay Kumar, Cyberabad Traffic Police.
The Cyberabad Traffic Police also tweeted about the same in a tweet that read, “Are you frustrated about cab drivers cancelling rides based on the destination or other reasons? Public can now raise a complaint with vehicle number, date and time, location and screen shot.”
The move has sent a cheer among citizens as cabbies often accept bookings in peak hours and later cancel them if the payment mode is online or if the destination is not en route to their homes. This not only inconveniences commuters but also causes price surge on cab aggregator platforms which run on an incentive basis to motivate drivers.