As rains cause fares to shoot up, transport commissioner Rame Gowda says rules to govern aggregators likely to be issued after present legislative session

When it rains in the city, it pours miseries on the hapless taxi traveller. Citing scarcity whenever the demand goes up, like in the event of a downpour, Bengaluru taxi aggregators make a quick buck by chagrining four to five times the normal fare. It is not any different during peak hours, again a time when there is an increase in requirement.The harassment of taxi users is unabated because both the transport department and traffic police profess helplessness at the goings on. While the former say they cannot monitor this aspect of the aggregators in the absence of clear rules, the latter lament that passengers get into a contract with the aggregator even as they book a cab to insulate the high charger. It takes for a passenger to make a formal complaint against any wrongdoing, only then can the police take up a case, the traffic department says.Speaking to Bangalore Mirror of the situation, transport commissioner Rame Gowda said, “We are hoping that new regulations governing taxi aggregators will come into force after the legislative session. Once that come into force, we will be in a position to initiate action. If anyone from among the general public files a complaint with us, we can initiate action against the driver as per existing rules. What I suggest to the public is that they do not book cabs through aggregators who charge exorbitantly. There are conventional taxi operators who also offer app-based services. Once the new aggregators come under our jurisdiction, we will definitely initiate action.”According to those in the know, at least 45,000 taxis of various permits ply city roads, a majority of them on the orders of mobile app-based aggregators.The department had issued notices in the past to two such operators but failed to nail them, and hence was unable to curb the practice of overcharging.Additional commissioner of police MA Saleem also expressed helplessness over the situation.“At present we do not have any rule to govern city taxis. Once rules come into effect, the transport department can fix the fare and they have to follow the rules as auto drivers do. At present, what is happening is that passengers reach a contract with aggregators that they are ready to travel in the vehicle by paying a certain fare. In the backdrop of this contractual operation, we cannot initiate action.”During rains and traffic jams, citing scarcity of cabs, aggregators charge anywhere between `350 and `450 even for a short distance that otherwise could cost just `150.Nagaraj K, a regular traveller says, “Earlier we were blaming auto drivers for demanding extra fare, but now taxis in the city have started fleecing innocent passengers.“There is no doubt that travelling in app-based taxi is convenient but ending up paying high fares is too much of a burden. It is high time authorities concerned initiated action against them for cheating passengers.”