NEW DELHI: All taxis across the country including those run through app-based service providers such as Uber, Olacabs and TaxiForSure will need to get GPS , meters and panic buttons installed for safety of passengers. Moreover, there would be a cap on the maximum fare any taxi service provider can charge from passengers.These will form part of the detailed guideline that road transport ministry will circulate to state governments for regulation and operation of all such services under the Motor Vehicle Act. The guideline will be advisory in nature, which the state governments can enforce in totality or can tweak according to their requirements.The decision was taken at a meeting where officials from road transport ministry and representatives from states including Maharashtra, Delhi and Karnataka were present on Tuesday. “We will come out with the guidelines so that there is uniformity. At present, different states are following different norms. States have suggested that no operator should be allowed to charge more than the maximum fixed fare. There is enough scope for companies to charge higher fare when there is more demand. Though app-based companies claim that their drivers have GPS fitted in their mobiles, it’s not acceptable on safety grounds,” said a top road ministry official.The detailed guideline will include “Dos” for drivers, vehicle owners and the platform providers for taxi services such as Uber, Olacabs and TaxiForSure.“The service providers have to take certain ownership of the vehicles and drivers. They must keep details and ensure the drivers with valid licence have no criminal antecedents, vehicles have all the necessary certificates and documents,” the official said.A representative from Maharashtra government told TOI that they would follow the central guidelines. Another member present in the meeting said though the power to set norms for taxi services lies with the state governments, the guidelines can help them come out with the framework.Officials said since there is a huge scope of growth for app-based taxi services, there is a need to have proper mechanism to regulate them rather than not allowing them to be in business.