(Image source from: indiaaheadnews.com)

Ola cabs license has been suspended for six months by Karnataka government with immediate effect. The state’s transport department issued the suspension order on March 18. The cab aggregator has been charged for violating license norms by running bike Taxis in the state.

Ola cabs responded to the order, it says "Ola is a law-abiding company that has always worked with the Government to develop livelihoods, improve mobility, and enable a new technology industry. We are evaluating all options to find an amicable solution wherein hundreds of thousands of driver-partners in the state of Karnataka can continue to work and serve the mobility needs of our citizens”

"We have been closely working with the authorities on this topic, responding to queries and making proactive representations to the ministry. Despite other companies continuing to operate illegally, Ola halted our bike taxi experiment weeks ago, instead seeking the state's cooperation to develop a legal framework for a pilot that will continue to take advantage of emerging opportunities in the mobility economy, the official statement reads.

Ola said that suspension order is unfortunate, "This notification is unfortunate, and we look forward to an opportunity to address these concerns directly with state officials to find a solution for our driver-partners and millions of Ola users in Karnataka," it added

By Sai Kumar