Ahmedabad: Autorickshaw and taxi unions agreed on Monday to continue negotiations with the state govt following assurances from the transport commissioner’s office. Officials promised action on long-pending demands, including a crackdown on private vehicles, such as bike-taxis, operating commercial passenger services, alongside a time-bound plan to regulate app-based aggregators like Ola, Uber, and Rapido.The unions are pressing the state to enforce the Motor Vehicle Aggregator Guidelines, 2020, issued under Section 93 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.The developments followed two rounds of meetings between union representatives, aggregator companies, RTO officials and transport department authorities. The first meeting ended without a resolution, prompting drivers to gather in Gandhinagar and launch a sit-in protest. Subsequently, the transport commissioner called union leaders for another round of discussions, after which they gave assurances to end the stalemate and restart talks.The city has 11 taxi and auto unions.Three key assurances emerged from the second meeting. First, RTOs will be directed to immediately act against two- and four-wheelers with white numberplates, meant for private use, that are being used for commercial passenger services. Second, the transport department will set up a committee to determine taxi fares, with the exercise expected to be completed within 20 days. Representatives of driver unions and aggregator companies will be part of the process. Third, the department sought one month to examine demands related to app-based aggregators such as Ola, Uber and Rapido. A meeting will be held within that period to discuss the issues and decide the next course of action.Rajvir Upadhyay, president of the Gujarat Saarthi Sangh, said, “The taxi aggregator platforms do not provide adequate earnings to drivers. Using white-numberplate vehicles for commercial passenger services is illegal and creates unfair competition by increasing the supply of vehicles on the road. It also raises concerns about passenger and driver safety.”Upadhyay added that authorities should investigate fake or duplicate IDs, particularly where drivers from outside Gujarat are operating here.J J Chaudhari, deputy director in the transport commissioner’s office, said, “We will decide on issues related to fixing fares for aggregators and setting up local offices in a month.” In a video posted on social media, he said, “Vehicles registered outside Gujarat will not be permitted to operate with aggregators.”Unions also demanded accountability from aggregator companies where illegal vehicles operate through their platforms. Ahmedabad Rickshaw Chalak Ekta Union president Vijay Makwana said, “We have been assured of immediate action against vehicles with white numberplates being used for commercial passenger services, while a committee will work on fixing taxi fares within 20 days.”
