After Ola and Uber drivers launched their own ride-hailing apps in Karnataka and Delhi, the Maharashtra government is now in the process of developing and launching a cab hailing app for black and yellow taxis. According to a report on Firstpost, this new app, which will be on the lines of apps like Ola and Uber and will be launched within three months.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said this while responding to a query raised by Leader of Opposition Dhananjay Munde, Hemant Takle (NCP) and others in the State Legislative Council in Mumbai on Friday.

Takle raised the issue of black and yellow taxis losing business to cab aggregators and questioned if the government was taking any measures to help them with competition.

According to Firstpost, Fadnavis responded to this saying, “the government is in the process of developing an electronic platform for black and yellow taxis similar to that of cab aggregators. It will provide services similar to those given by cab aggregators.

Additionally, State Transport Minister Diwakar Raote said that the government is considering providing AC services to customers of black and yellow taxi drivers who have taken a new car to bring them at par with Ola and Uber

However, issues were also raised with regards to the behavioral issues of black and yellow taxi drivers.  Raote says that in order to increase their business and survive competition, taxi drivers will have to deal with issues like mannerisms and cleanliness to increase business and survive competition and that taxi unions can help them with these issues.

Most recently, Bengaluru’s Ola and Uber drivers launched a cab aggregating app called HDK Cabs with investment from Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy.

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