Ola’s Fate in Pune Hangs in the Balance, decision awaited from State Transport Tribunal 

On April 22, 2024, the State Transport Appellate Tribunal is set to determine whether Ola, the popular online cab service, will be allowed to operate in Pune City.

Sanjeev Bhor, Deputy Commissioner of the Regional Transport Authority (RTO) Pune, informed Pune Times Mirror that the tribunal will convene to decide Ola’s fate. Bhor stated, “The State Tribunal will hold a hearing about whether to allow Ola company’s operations in Pune or not on 22nd April.” He added, “The RTO will submit its report about this to the Tribunal on 20th April i.e. 2 days before the hearing.” However, there has been no indication regarding a hearing for Uber’s operations.

Following a meeting chaired by Pune District Collector Suhas Diwase in March 2024, the RTO officially rejected applications from Uber India Systems Pvt Ltd and ANI Technologies Pvt Ltd, Ola’s parent company. Both companies were given a 30-day window to appeal the decision.

Ola has appealed to the State Transport Appellate Authority to seek legal support in obtaining a license to operate in the city. The tribunal has scheduled a hearing date in response to the appeal, with a decision expected within two weeks.

In March 2024, the Regional Transport Office (RTO) initiated a crackdown on 18 cab companies operating without the necessary permits in Pune, shutting down their mobile apps and websites.

The issue of unlicensed cab operations gained attention amid ongoing disputes between cab drivers and industry giants Ola and Uber over rental policies, sparking protests from cab unions and associations in Pune.