2017 started with all the bans, strikes, driver protests and legal encounters regarding the cab aggregators. Uber India has approached Bombay High Court seeking Rs 12 crore in damages from certain taxi owners’ and taxi drivers’ associations for allegedly disrupting its operations, and has obtained an injunction order restraining them.
The app-based cab aggregator had filed the suit last month, accusing seven such associations of trying to harm its reputation and business and the livelihood of its drivers, and of engaging in violence against it.
Uber India Systems Pvt Ltd’s lawsuit names Sangharsh Tourist Chalak Malak Sangh, an association of taxi owners and drivers, Action Committee of Maharashtra against Ola and Uber, Mumbai Vikas Foundation, All Drivers Welfare Association and Maharashtra Tourist Permit Union.
The lawsuit stated: “The defendants are deliberate, unlawfully and wrongfully resorting to violence and intimidation under the garb of strikes and protests in Mumbai and thereby restraining drivers associated with the plaintiff’s mobile App from operating and pursuing a livelihood.”
App-based cab booking service protocol has also accused the defendant of committing criminal acts such as stopping cabs booked through the Uber app, asking the passengers to get off and find alternative transport, and threatening the passengers and drivers.
The suit also claimed: “The mobile devices (with Uber App) of the driver partners of Uber were forcibly snatched and their vehicles were damaged. The defendants even forced the passengers out of the vehicles where trips were being taken through the Uber App, verbally abused, physically assaulted and threatened the Driver Partners of dire consequences.”
The cab aggregator also claimed that there have been 830 incidents when its drivers or passengers were harassed. The lawsuit claimed “As the magnitudes of such protests are only increasing, the plaintiffs anticipate further losses. Hence the company seeks the court to grant an injunction restraining the defendants from stopping Uber drivers to work. The plaintiffs further seek a direction to the defendants to pay a sum of Rs. 12.41 crores as damages to business, reputation and goodwill of Uber.”
The lawsuit is likely to be heard by Justice S J Kathawalla in due course.
Over the last few months, taxi unions and drivers association in several cities have gone on strike against the app-based cab aggregators for affecting their business. Drivers from Karnataka, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, and Mumbai have been taking parts in the strikes and protests. Read more news about Uber.
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