Telangana HC issues notice to state on plea seeking taxi fare regulation, MVA enforcement

Hyderabad: Telangana High Court has issued a notice to the state government on a petition demanding regulation of taxi fares and stricter enforcement of the Motor Vehicles Act.

Justice K Sarath directed the government to file its response within four weeks and listed the matter for hearing on October 16.

Union flags lapses in regulation

The writ petition was filed by the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU), which alleged that authorities had failed to perform their statutory duties under Sections 67 and 74 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988.

These provisions require the government to fix and notify uniform taxi fares and ensure the installation of functional, sealed meters in all taxis.

Arbitrary charges burden public

Counsel for the petitioners argued that in the absence of regulatory checks, cab aggregators were imposing extra charges under various labels such as “surge fee,” “peak-hour levy,” and “congestion charge.” This, they said, was leading to widespread exploitation of passengers.

The plea further noted that taxis in the state routinely operate without verified meters, relying instead on GPS-based mechanisms that are neither mandated by law nor placed in clear view of passengers as required under rules.

Direct interest of Gig Workers

Senior counsel L. Ravi Chander submitted that the petition, though serving public interest, was filed as a regular writ since the gig workers’ union had a direct stake in the matter. He added that the lack of a grievance redressal mechanism had left commuters at the mercy of aggregators’ pricing practices.

Court’s direction

The court observed that interim relief could be considered only after hearing from the government. It, therefore, directed the state to submit its response without delay. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on October 16.