NEW DELHI: The city government today informed the Delhi High Court that it has banned Uber and Ola app-based cabs services here but these taxis are still operating.
The counsel for Delhi government also said that they have asked the Centre to block the websites of these two cab service providers if they continue with their services.
A bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw was informed that they have also sent suggestions to the Lieutenant Governor for safe and secure system of the operations of taxi in Delhi through a call centre.
"...Operations of ANI Technologies Pvt Ltd Ola cabs and operations of Uber India system Pvt Ltd have been banned by the competent authority to ply in Delhi," Delhi government Standing Counsel Zubeda Begum said.
She contended that the Deputy Commissioner of transport department has also requested Delhi Traffic police to take appropriate action against the taxi operators found violating the ban orders.
She also said that a special drive was carried out by the field functionaries of Delhi Traffic Police and 35,597 taxis were found plying on roads in Delhi against the instruction received from the Home Ministry and Delhi Transport department.
She also said that the Transport Department has modified the Radio Taxi Scheme, 2006 and has laid down the terms and conditions for licensing of taxi services, which have come into force from December 2014.
The government's response came after the high court had in January asked them to reply to the petition filed by Harkesh Gupta who has contended that the January 1 order (banning app-based cabs) of the government is being violated by various app-based cab services which continue to operate and offer their services through their sites.
However, the petition has sought that apart from seizing the cabs, the sites of these companies should be blocked as the taxis owned by them are still operating.
The city government had earlier told the court that the ban on app-based taxi services will continue and vehicles violating it will be seized as per its January 1 order.
The government had passed its order on a representation by US-based cab service provider Uber, pursuant to the High Court's December 24 last year order when it had asked the cab company to approach the Transport Department.
Uber, which works through a mobile app, had challenged the December 8, 2014 order of the city government banning Uber and 20 other such companies, including Ola Cabs, from operating in Delhi following the rape of a 27-year-old woman executive on December 5, 2014 night by a driver of Uber taxi.
The January 1 order had also said that since Uber operates diesel/petrol run vehicles, it is violating the Supreme Court direction that the All India Tourist Permit cabs in Delhi should run on CNG.
The department, however, had also said that Uber "may apply (for operating) under the modified Radio Taxi Scheme, 2006".
Uber had, on January 6, withdrawn its plea challenging the December order of the government banning it.