The regional transport officer, Bhubaneswar, has lodged a police complaint against online motor vehicle aggregator companies like Rapido, Uber, and Ola for operating without valid licence in the Odisha capital and adjoining areas.

RTO, Bhubaneswar, Bikash Chandra Choudhury told The Telegraph: “We have lodged the police complaint against the online cab aggregators on Tuesday on two grounds — they don’t have a valid license to operate as per Odisha government’s aggregator policy and they are engaging private bikes for their commercial use violating the MV (Motor Vehicle) Laws.

“They need to take a licence to operate from the State Transport Authority (STA).”

The RTO said: “Under the Aggregator Policy (The Odisha On-Demand Transportation Technology Aggregators Guidelines, 2023) which was notified on April 20, 2023, to regulate the operational activities or conduct of the Odisha On-Demand Transportation Technology Aggregators. Under the policy, the two-wheelers (non-transport) are prohibited from being engaged for commercial purposes....

“It’s a matter of concern that they are hiring private two-wheelers and are engaging them in services which violate the rule.”

He said: “Besides, the policy allows the cab operators to use only transport vehicles. But they are violating all the guidelines. The Commissioner, State Transport Authority (STA) had earlier taken up this with them.

“As it failed to yield any results and no steps were taken by them to check it, we filed the police complaint.”

Choudhury said: “The 93 (iii) of the Motor Vehicle Act prescribes that the cab operators are required to get the licence from the STA for their operation. They need to apply for a licence as per the aggregator policy. They are yet to apply for a licence despite several reminders.”

The FIR states, “But these aggregator agencies are deliberately using non-transport two-wheelers and without any licence. Such illegal use of non-transport two-wheelers was check reported several times and these companies were instructed to strictly adhere to the guidelines used by the state government. Even written instructions were also issued to Sri Sandip Kumar Choudhury (Ola), Sri Deepak Palai (Uber), Lalajee Choudhury (Rapido) to strictly follow the guidelines.

“But these persons of the above companies have deliberately violated the instructions issued under the law and indulged in illegal operation of two-wheelers. Due to such illegal operations by these companies, the local auto associations and other commercial vehicle associations are strongly objecting to these violations and
had protested against these illegal activities by these companies.”

The FIR also states that because of the illegal activities of these companies, very often law and order situations are being created.

According to the FIR: “It is requested that stringent criminal action may be initiated against the aforementioned person of above aggregator companies for creating frequent law and order situation for deliberate violation of MV laws.”