Mumbai: Delivery apps, radio taxis owe Rs 3.6 crore in fines

The vehicles used for these services are registered with the companies as ‘partners’, which is why the traffic police have reached out to them. File pic

The traffic police have started a drive to recover pending e-challan dues from online delivery service providers and cab aggregators including Uber, Ola, Swiggy and Zomato. The companies have been issued letters by the traffic police regarding violation of rules and a meeting, too, was held in this regard. The collective amount by drivers/riders of the four is Rs 3.6 crore. Drivers of cab companies Ola and Uber have e-challans pertaining to breaking signals, parking in no-parking zones, talking on the phone while driving, among others.

While Ola, Zomato, Uber did not comment, Swiggy said it conducts training for its delivery partners. Representation pic

Drivers of cab companies Ola and Uber have e-challans pertaining to breaking signals, parking in no-parking zones, talking on the phone while driving, among others. Total fines against Uber drivers amount to Rs 1.21 crore, while those against Ola drivers amount to Rs 60 lakh.

Food delivery service Zomato's riders have committed violations such as parking in no-parking zones, breaking signals, driving in one-way lanes and talking on the phone. According to the traffic police, Swiggy riders have a collective e-challan amount of Rs 1.48 crore pending while Zomato's riders have e-challans worth R31 lakh.

A traffic police officer told mid-day, "People are being asked to pay their e-challan money through the traffic police's call centre to recover dues worth over R319 crore. Under the same exercise, Uber, Ola, Swiggy and Zomato, too, have been asked to pay the e-challan money."

Additional Commissioner of Traffic police Praveen Padwal said, "Representatives of Ola, Uber, Swiggy and Zomato were called for a meeting. They have been told that the vehicles running in their names have violated traffic rules and that there are outstanding e-challan amounts, which they must pay at the earliest."

A traffic police officer explained that the vehicles operating for the companies are registered with them as ‘partner' vehicles, a record of which is available with the police too. While e-challans may be issued in the name of the owner of the relevant vehicle number, the traffic police do have the knowledge if the vehicle in question is operated in the aggregator or delivery service provider's name. As such, the companies have been told to pay the dues, or ask their riders/drivers to pay them.

What the companies say
A spokesperson for Swiggy said, "We promote the adherence of traffic rules among our delivery partners who undergo training on road safety and traffic rules followed by regular programs. We also don't penalise them for late deliveries. Last month, Swiggy participated in the Traffic Awareness Program organised by Mumbai Police and urged all delivery partners to do so. Any instance of traffic violation brought to our notice is addressed with appropriate action." A spokesperson for Ola refused to comment on the matter. Uber's spokesperson, too, refused to comment till the time of going to press. Zomato's spokesperson Swati Gupta did not respond to queries.

Rs 60L
E-challan fines of Ola drivers

Rs 31L
E-challan fines of Zomato riders