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A transport order to ban bike cabs has now become a challenge of survival for thousands of people who were supporting their families by delivering small items on two-wheelers for decades.
The orders of the Transport Department regarding the ban on bike cabs have created a crisis of livelihood in front of thousands of people. The officials of the department issued a decree banning the commercial use of two-wheelers without any review and concrete policy, but no one has the answer to the question of why rules were not made for these activities going on in the capital for decades. However, thousands of such people have also come under the purview of the order, who were providing food, grocery and courier service to their homes with two-wheelers for their survival due to unemployment.
This is the entire matter
In fact, last week, through a public notice, the Transport Department had declared bike cabs as illegal and warned of strict action against the violators. According to this order issued by the Special Commissioner, in the event of using a two-wheeler for commercial work which is registered for personal use, the driver will be fined five thousand rupees for the first time under Section 92 of the Motor Vehicle Act and ten for the second violation. There can also be a fine of up to thousand rupees and imprisonment of one year. Not only this, his driving license can also be suspended for three months.
Warning to the digital platforms as well
In the order of the Special Transport Commissioner, booking done through digital platform has also been given a stern warning, terming it as a violation of Section 93 of the Aggregator License. It was also said that if he does not stop this work immediately, then a fine of one lakh rupees can be imposed against him under Section 193 (2) of the Motor Vehicle Act.
Continued business for decades
The work of delivery of goods to small shopkeepers from two wheelers is not new. This work has been going on for decades, from villages to small towns or to big towns like Delhi also. Bike cab service has come up recently, but companies like Domino’s and Pizza Hut have been doing this work for home delivery of food items for a long time. Only companies like Zomato and Swiggy have been providing the service of delivering food from restaurants to homes for the last eight-nine years. Not only this, many companies are working to deliver small items through digital platforms.
Thousands of youth are going to be unemployed
After the order of the Transport Department to curb bike cabs, the companies providing home or doorstep delivery of other items including food and drink via two wheelers are also upset now. Since the officers who issued this order have not yet prepared such an action plan which could issue new licenses. In such a situation, these companies are left with no option but to stop the home delivery service or continue it illegally. In such a situation, to avoid legal action, if these companies stop the delivery service via two-wheelers, then on the day one itself more than ten thousand youth will be left unemployed.
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Transport commissioner has no answer
The Transport Department, responsible to issue the order has not thought over human aspects and further action plan. Transport Commissioner Ashish Kundra also has no answer to any such question. When asked questions about the action plan or explanation over the new policy in case of private two-wheeler delivery service ban other than bike cabs, the commissioner chose to keep mum.
