Journalism of Courage
Taking note of the inconvenience caused to commuters if all radio cab services are banned in the capital, the Delhi High Court on Wednesday allowed Ola and Uber to continue to ply till March 1, after the two taxi services agreed to give an undertaking saying they will phase out all diesel-based cabs from running on point-to-point basis.
The court of Justice Manmohan, in his order, stated that the ban on the plying of diesel cabs inside the city on point-to-point basis will apply “equally” to all cab companies, including all members of the Association of Radio Taxis.
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The bench agreed to grant the concession after the counsels for the two cab services said they were ready to submit an undertaking on not running any diesel cabs for intra-city transport.
The bench clarified that the relief will not be given for a cab service which fails to file such an undertaking.
“At least one chance should be given to them (companies) as they are willing to shift to CNG. Entire public transport will be shifting to CNG, so some time needs to be given to them, otherwise the public will be put to inconvenience. I do not want public to suffer,” observed the bench.
“Those who are willing to give me undertaking, I will give them time. Those who are not, my order passed in case of Ola will apply to them…,” he added.
The bench has directed Uber, Ola cabs and Taxi for sure to file detailed affidavits “within a period of two weeks placing on record a monthly schedule according to which they intend to phase out the diesel vehicles…”.
