New Delhi: The Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), an economic policy group linked with the RSS, has trained its guns on surge pricing by cab aggregators Uber and Ola. The outfit has opposed the government’s move to allow app-based platforms to charge customers up to three times the amount during peak hours.
Accusing the taxi services of profiteering under the garb of dynamic pricing, the SJM has urged Union minister Nitin Gadkari to frame regulatory rules under the new Motor Vehicles Act 2019, keeping in mind consumers’ interests.
In the SJM’s letter to Gadkari, its all-India co-convener Ashwani Mahajan sought time from Gadkari’s Ministry of Road Transport and Highways to discuss in greater detail the framing of regulatory rules.
“Uber and Ola, which started activities in India in 2014-15 to provide lower cost and convenient taxi services, have started profiteering under the ambit of surge pricing. Just in the last two weeks, we received screenshots where a fare of Rs 2,000 was quoted in Mumbai for a six-minute ride. This is outrageous and plain profiteering by these platforms,” reads SJM’s letter.
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Letter cites public survey
Mahajan’s letter cites a public survey that highlights various issues faced by riders from across the country with app-based taxi services. According to the survey, people want surge pricing to be capped at no higher than 25 per cent, and if the ride is cancelled by an aggregator or its driver, for an amount equivalent to 20 per cent of the fare to be deposited as penalty in the customer’s account.
“Please note that currently the apps levy a penalty when a customer cancels a ride but the same doesn’t work the other way around. Survey also suggests that app taxis should not be permitted to apply surge pricing on advance/scheduled bookings. Basic customer service and app features must be standardised to facilitate speaking with customer service centre in case of an emergency/need,” SJM’s letter states.
“It is our request that the taxi aggregator rules under Motor Vehicle Act 2019 are made keeping the above public interest in mind. If that is not done, it would be an unpopular move and we may risk the states coming up with their own rules and setting lower limits of surge pricing for taxi aggregators,” the letter adds.
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All of India suffers from the “regulitis” or the desire for excessive regulation. It is always articulated as a desire to protect the consumer or worker or an ordinary person. It is a mindset that believes that people cannot protect themselves or cannot make decisions for themselves. They miss the simple idea that if Ola is too expensive then people won’t use it. For 70 years, Congress and Marxists taught us that insufferable regulations and licenses were necessary to guide investment and grow the country, Instead, all they accomplished was to destroy all initiative, prevent growth and take corruption to extreme levels. Sadly, many in the RSS haven’t learned anything from 70 wasted years and push the same destructive ideas. Even as the dynasty falters, the ideas of the dynasty continue to thrive in the most unlikely corners.